Chrysler Aims to Return to Halcyon Days With New EV Sedan Concept

For two decades, beginning in 1989, the highlight of nearly every Detroit Auto Show was the unveiling of the latest concept car from the automaker formerly known as Chrysler. That steady stream of visionary models came to a halt following the 2008 financial crash and subsequent bankruptcy restructuring that led to Chrysler being first taken over by Fiat and recently becoming just one of the 14 brands that make up Stellantis. Fortunately, the designers in Auburn Hills are letting loose again. In 2023 we got the idea to take the Ram Revolution and now the new Chrysler Halcyon.

Like the Revolution and the 2022 Chrysler Airflow, the Halcyon is a battery electric car. When the Airflow was introduced, Chrysler CEO Chris Feuell hailed it as the future of the brand as it transitions to an electric lineup over the next several years. While Chrysler’s first all-electric crossover will be as big as the Airflow, it won’t look like the concept.

“I think Airflow was a good first step for us to show what Chrysler could look like in the future. As Ralph (Gilles, Chief Design Officer of Stellantis) and I continue to collaborate and talk about how to bring harmony to life for Chrysler and how we can pushing the limits of modern and modern design, we knew that we could get a little refinement of the car because if people were happy with the Airflow when we introduced it for the first time in 2022, although, you know, we didn’t go far enough with this design, it’s very conservative, Fewell said.

With that in mind, the Halcyon is edgier, both figuratively and literally. The Halcyon is a sleek, streamlined sedan that incorporates sharp edges at the nose and tail as it sweeps through the air. In some respects it has a return to the cab-front design ethos of Chrysler in the 1990s, thanks to the electric STLA Large platform that does not require space in front for a large engine.

A large glass canopy extends forward and down below what would normally be the hood but is now a sky blade similar to the one first seen on the Dodge Charger Daytona concept. The entire top of the car appears to be made of glass and has a blackout coating, similar to that found on the windows of the Boeing 787.

As usual, the Halcyon has hinged rear doors and no B-pillar to give a clear view of the interior. For the concept, there are “butterfly-hinged sections above the doors to enable easy access to the interior. None of these are likely to make it to production.

As is often the case with concepts, there’s a long list of cool features, some of which will never make it to customer cars and some of which are still years away from coming to fruition. Among them is the STLA AutoDrive system, level 4. When busy, the four seats can be reconfigured with the rear seats folding and sliding back into the trunk in a new Stow-n-go manner while the front seats slide back and recline. The steering wheel can slide into the dashboard and the windshield can disappear while occupants can gaze at the stars through the canopy.

On the other hand, the augmented reality display is something that already exists in some cars including Mercedes-Benz and replaces the traditional instrument panel. STLA Brain’s electronic architecture includes support for AI chatbots that allow the driver to ask questions and control functions with voice, as demonstrated at CES this year by several automakers.

The STLA SmartCockpit includes several modes including Ready that uses an AI virtual assistant to inform the driver about what’s in store for their day and an Intimate Mode that uses biometrics to personalize the experience including lights, sounds and on-screen greetings.

Another feature we probably won’t see in a public release anytime soon is the adaptive Wireless Power Transfer that charges the car while driving down well-equipped roads. Virtually none of these roads exist today except in small pilot programs like a quarter-mile stretch in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood.

One detail that could arrive later this decade or early next is the lithium sulfur battery. Stellantis is an investor in a startup called Lyten that has developed 3D graphene that can store sulfur molecules in battery cathodes to provide a longer cycle life than conventional lithium sulfur batteries. If this can be brought to market, it could be a major breakthrough in reducing the cost of batteries because it does not use nickel or cobalt and sulfur is much less expensive than current cathode materials. It will also have 60% less carbon in manufacturing than current batteries.

Currently, the only Chrysler models still in production are the Pacifica minivan and its Voyager cruiser variant. There are still about 300 sedans that were built in 2023 and are expected to last until the third quarter. Feuell says that several new Chrysler EVs starting with the 2025 crossover and sedan are on the way and will incorporate design cues from the Halcyon including a new, stylish wing badge. The goal is still at least four models that comprise what Feuell describes as the “main top” brand.

The Chrysler Corporation was founded in June 1925 and had a long history of innovation. We probably won’t see the steady stream of cool concepts we talked about in the 1990s and 2000s again, but it would be great if the brand was reborn as electrified, especially a century later. If the first of its EVs arrives in the middle of next year and actually features at least some of what can be seen in the Halcyon it will be a fitting way to celebrate the centenary and perhaps a return to the halcyon days.