Chrysler’s futuristic EV concept signals a monumental departure from tradition

What you’re feasting your eyes on here is Chrysler’s fresh vision for the electric future.

The all-new Chrysler Halcyon EV concept couldn’t be further from what the brand is traditionally known for.

Okay, it might just be a concept at this stage, but if this is what the future holds for Chrysler, we’re all for it.

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In recent years, we’ve seen other EV concept designs from the American automaker, namely the Portal and Airflow.

But this is far better than those, and is an EV you might actually want to own.

Sharp, sporty, and futuristic – the Halcyon looks more like something from Lotus or Lucid than Chrysler.

The sleek-looking, electric sedan isn’t short of doors.

It has four conventional doors, as well as two roof-mounted ones.

The back doors are rear-hinged and, as the car lacks a B-pillar, there’s a massive aperture for passengers when all four doors are open.

Increasing the height of that aperture even further, there’s also small roof-hinged gullwing-style doors.

To create an airier cabin with more natural light, those small gullwing doors are mostly glass, too.

The Halcyon’s cabin is minimalist without any superfluous trim.

That being said, it’s stylish and has a distinct Scandinavian look about it.

To be fair, a Volvo badge on the steering wheel wouldn’t look out of place.

And on the subject of the steering wheel – Chrysler called its shape a “reverse yoke”.

Not only does it fold away, the pedals do, too – for Level 4 autonomous driving.

Those aren’t the only bits that fold away, though – the seat bottoms of the rear seats can stow away, to make room for pets or create more space for groceries.

The winged Chrysler logos on both the steering wheel and front seats are made from recycled CDs, which is apparently a nod to Detroit’s musical history.

But the tech inside the Chrysler Halcyon is what really stands out.

The owner is a key, of sorts, as it uses biometric scanning to unlock and start the vehicle, as well as start its Welcome and Entry modes.

When you get in the car, the biometric identification tells the car to set up ambient lighting, sounds, and screens for you.

Then, in Drive mode, the Halcyon will drive itself using Level 4 autonomy, while also allowing passengers to watch movies and even lay back and relax when in Stargazing mode.

What’s really important, though, is what’s found inside the EV concept car’s battery.

Stellantis is pushing to use Lyten 800V lithium-sulfur EV batteries, as they don’t use nickel, cobalt, or manganese.

Compared to a typical EV battery, they’re said to lower its carbon footprint by 60 percent.

Chrysler also hopes to be able to use future Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer charging tech, which juices up the battery while driving along certain compatible roads.

There’s no ifs and buts about it – the Chrysler Halcyon EV concept features lots of promising gadgets.

Not to get too carried away, these are just some of the technologies the brands are currently working on.

But if Chrysler can deliver the Halcyon’s design language, its handy seating system, and – more importantly – the lithium-sulfur battery, the brand’s electric future could well be incredibly bright.

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