Chrysler’s Newest Concept Cars
Chrysler has a mostly hit and sometimes miss record when it comes to car design—PT Cruiser, anybody?—but these two concept cars hit the mark, big time.
When it comes to concept cars, few car manufacturers are as bold and imaginative as
Chrysler
. The Chrysler Airflow Concept and the Chrysler Portal Concept are just the latest in a long line of innovative offerings from the Big Three automaker.Concept cars are a window into the future of the automobile industry. Some concept cars end up being produced for the mass market while others are so outrageous that they are never intended to be made available to the public at all. One great concept car can reverse an entire company’s bad fortune—as was the case with
Volkswagen
’s 1994 Concept One, which went on to become one of VW’s best-selling vehicles of all time: the New Beetle. RECOMMENDED
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Chrysler Portal Concept
Chrysler introduced the Portal Concept at CES 2017 in Las Vegas. There’s a good reason for the Portal Concept being unboxed there—CES bills itself as the biggest tech event in the world.
The Chrysler Portal is a shiny, pod-like compact car that comfortably seats six. With a neutral gray interior, illuminated exterior, and yawning side openings—door just isn’t the right word—this car looks like it would be just as at home rolling up to the club as it would be hurtling through space.
Chrysler embarked on the Portal project with the growing millennial demographic front of mind. The automaker has astutely recognized that millennials are now the US’s largest demographic and will soon be at peak family having/family starting age. This vehicle aims to completely revolutionize the way families commute.
Innovation and imagination
Technically, the Portal is a minivan, but it would more accurately be described as a thing. And this thing has a lot of great ideas in it.
For one, the Portal’s six captain's chairs are mounted and slide on two parallel tracks that run the length of the vehicle. The seats can be positioned anywhere along the tracks, laid flat, and can be easily removed from the rear hatch.
Another great idea is the eight charging stations available for smartphones and other devices. If you’re counting, that’s one station for every passenger with two remaining for your dogs.
Chrysler also envisions facial recognition technology that can be used for driver preference settings and zoned audio which allows each passenger to listen to different music without the need for headphones.
Driving
Perhaps the most exciting innovation is the Portal’s quick charge, long-range lithium-ion battery. Chrysler estimates that the Portal will be able to travel more than 250 miles on one full charge and a 15-minute charge could yield over 150 miles of range.
And the best part of the Portal is you may not even have to drive it. That’s because it’s outfitted with level three autonomous driving technology with the potential for upgrade to level four. At level three, autonomous vehicles are capable of making independent decisions while “drivers” engage in other activities like Wordle.
Chrysler Airflow Graphite Concept
With a Galaxy Black exterior and a menacing presence, the Chrysler Airflow looks like dark matter stalking the universe. The vehicle’s crossover SUV design isn’t as conceptually risky as the human transporter module design of the Portal. For that reason, the Airflow seems very likely to hit the streets in 2025, which would make the concept car Chrysler’s first production electric vehicle.
Sleek and sophisticated
With screens for every occupant and captain’s seats for four, the electric crossover SUV is stylish and sophisticated. The infotainment system employs software from Stellantis called STLA Brain and STLA SmartCockpit to enhance the user experience with navigational tools, voice command, and other smart features.
The interior is roomy with Ice Gray upholstering and copper accents. A glass roof gives the roomy SUV an even airier feel. Chrysler’s intent with the Airflow was to provide a “comfortable space between home and work”, and it seems like they’ve succeeded.
Driving
The Airflow Concept features front and rear motors which provide 201 horsepower and all-wheel drive capabilities. A presumed 118.0 kWh capacity battery mounted under the floor supplies the power for the Airflow’s estimated 400-mile range. The airflow figures to be Chrysler’s very first electric vehicle in production, and the company says it aims to have its entire fleet turn electric by 2028.
It’s probable that when it finally does come available to the public—likely in 2025—Airflow base models will feature a single motor with an optional dual motor upgrade. You can also bet that those rear captain’s chairs will be replaced with bench seating.
The Concept version of the Airflow features level three autonomous driving technology, which isn’t even legal in the US. Yet. But that will likely change, perhaps even before the Airflow is released to the public.
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