Chrysler is in dire straits. The demise of the 300 leaves just one vehicle in its lineup, the Pacifica minivan. We’ve been assured new product is coming, but we don’t know what that is or when it’ll be here. To tease what the Chrysler of the future may look like, the brand has dropped a new concept called the Halcyon that showcases the American automaker’s design and tech for the EV age.
The styling is sleek and futuristic, as concepts in the 2020s tend to be. Chrysler describes the Halcyon as sculptural, and its design comes across as a coupe while it’s actually a four door with rear-hinged suicide doors. It’s really low as well, with Chrysler saying it rides just four inches from the road. The front fascia features a functional air blade that Chrysler says aids aerodynamics and thus increases range. It’s also accented by a thin LED light strip that runs across the front, as well as an illuminated Chrysler logo. A steeply-raked windshield extends deep into the front of the car.
On the side, the Halcyon features a crisp character line and vertical side vent. In Chrysler’s quest for minimalism, you’ll also notice there are cameras instead of mirrors and the Halcyon doesn’t have any door handles, instead you enter the new car through “autonomous entry.” Out back is another thin light bar that runs the width of the body, along with a smooth bumper and a high-mounted stop light, which is made in the design of the Chrysler logo.
The minimalism continues inside, with a massive 15.6-inch screen making up most of the dash. This can rotate between portrait and landscape orientation, and it’s capable of voice and recognition commands, minimizing the need for a bunch of buttons. That massive glass canopy, which can be dimmed, means drivers would have excellent visibility while behind the wheel. The wheel itself is a reverse yoke design and is made to fold away, along with the pedals, when not in use. Between the seats, a center console made of glass runs the length of the interior.
Everything in the cabin is made from sustainable materials. The Chrysler logo on the front seats and steering wheel are made from crushed CDs, for instance, while the seats themselves are covered in recycled mélange heather fabric. The rear seats feature the next generation of Chrysler’s excellent Stow n’ Go seating, and they aren’t stowed by any simple means like a button. Instead, they use voice commands or biometric ID to fold away and make room for groceries, pets and more.
Tech abounds in the Halcyon, and it starts with the powertrain. The Halcyon rides on Stellantis’ STLA Large platform. The centerpiece of this are Lyten 800V lithium-sulfur EV batteries that Chrysler says use no heavy metals. Of course, Chrysler isn’t talking any hard power or range numbers for this concept, but the platform could offer up to 500 miles of range.
Inside, STLA AI helps with controlling vehicle functions, and STLA Brain helps with over-the-air vehicle updates as well as a smart climate control system that Chrysler says is able to analyze the weather and adjust the climate accordingly. There’s even predictive navigation that can sync with a driver’s calendar and plan a route accordingly.
The most impressive item is something called STLA Autodrive, which works with the other STLA tech and can put the Halcyon in five different drive modes: Prepare, Welcome/Entry, Pre-Drive, Drive and Exit. These can do everything from preparing the car for the day by setting the climate and planning a route, or simply welcome the driver with warm mood lighting and exterior sounds. There’s also one that sets the car up for Level 4 autonomous driving and automated parking features.
While the Halcyon is just a concept for now, and there’s no way Chrysler will give us anything close to this kind of tech in the near future, here’s hoping Chrysler brings the Halcyon’s design to production with minimal changes. The brand desperately needs new product, and something like this low-slung sedan would definitely get people interested and may even rival to upcoming Dodge Charger EV. So if you’re reading this Stellantis, you have all the excuses you need to build this thing and wow both the auto industry and customers alike.
