Chrysler showed off the Halcyon concept car, an electric sedan with a low roofline that was meant to show what the brand’s future might look like. The Halcyon is a concept car that has a lot of cool technologies. Some of these technologies may be used in real cars in the future. Representatives from the brand say that the 800-volt architecture and battery pack, which use cutting-edge lithium-sulfur technology, can cut carbon emissions by up to 60% compared to modern electric cars. We are shocked that Chrysler is giving us a sneak peek of what’s to come, and it doesn’t look like an SUV or a minivan. Instead, the company is showing off the Halcyon, a four-door car that looks sleek and mean. The Halcyon is an electric car with sweeping lines and a low-slung stance, like the Audi e-tron GT and the Porsche Taycan. It also has a lot of futuristic technology and design elements. Stellantis’s first line of electric cars is almost ready to go on sale under other names, but the Halcyon won’t be out for a while. But it is said to be built on the same STLA Large basis as the electric Jeep Wagoneer S, which will start production this fall. This means that the Halcyon could be made in some way that is ready for production. Slippery and classy style The Halcyon’s designers say that the styling was created from scratch, but we can’t help but notice the “cab forward” layout that became popular with Chrysler’s large and mid-size cars in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Even though the design is newer than cars like the 300M sedan, it is easy to see how the shape has changed over time. A lot of the Halcyon’s body is shaped by aerodynamics, and the car was cleverly made to reduce wind resistance. To help move air up and over the roof, a small hole in the front fender goes all the way through the hood and to the bottom of the windshield. Rear-facing cameras on thin arms work as side mirrors by projecting pictures onto screens inside the car. The Halcyon’s taillight module and rear diffuser can be stretched outward to make it less windy when cruising. A lot of glass in the roof makes you think about what it means to be seen from the outside. Chrysler says that 45 percent of the car’s exterior is made up of glass, which lets you see a lot of the sky or the road ahead. The Lucid Air is another electric car that looks like it came from the future and works well. The rear-hinged doors on the Halcyon open along with the front doors, making it easy to get inside. Because the car’s roof is low, the side doors open at the same time as flip-up roof panels that are meant to make getting in and out of the car easy. An artistic and reconfigurable cabin A lot of Halcyon’s cabins are made from eco-friendly materials, like microsuede, which is made from 73% recycled plastic bottles. Chrysler logos made from broken CDs are on the door handles of the Halcyon. This is another nod to the 2000s. The cloth on the headlining and seats is also made from things that can be recycled. The seats have wing-backs and headrests that move, which makes them look like sculptures. The concept’s thick pillows make us wonder about the long-term comfort of the chairs, but if it does become a real thing, we expect it to look less flashy and have more layers of padding. The company has added back seats to its Stow ‘n’ Go seating layout. The Pacifica minivan’s back seats fold down into a space on the floor. The Halcyon’s back seat bottoms, on the other hand, fold down into the trunk, making more space for goods on the floor. The most noticeable thing, though, is the dashboard, which is dropped away from the driver. Because there is space between you and the gauges and the glass is all the way around, you feel like you’re not even in a Chrysler. Big ideas and cutting-edge tech The Halcyon’s onboard technology may be the most important change to the design. The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus will come out this year with a similar entertainment system, so the idea of a curved screen running the length of the dashboard is familiar. Chrysler, on the other hand, goes the extra mile by putting the screen on a piece of clear glass. Not only does the Halcyon have glass screens, but the panel on the roof also shows virtual reality. When the made-up “autonomous driving” mode is turned on, the inside of the car looks like a moving club. People can see the information displayed on the roof by taking off the steering wheel and pulling back the front seats. The Halcyon’s center console has a 15.6-inch rotatable infotainment screen that can be used by either the driver or a guest in the front seat. The entertainment system is very driver-specific, with the ability to keep individual user profiles to make car sharing easier while still letting people keep their own tastes. For instance, the program can show visual memories based on the user’s current location or the place they are going, and it can also save memories from the user’s earlier road trips. More work has been done on the AI virtual helper in the car to make it better than what customers expect from similar features like Apple’s Siri or Google’s Voice helper. The goal is to make a system that can handle human needs without any problems. The goal of connecting to other smart gadgets is to make life easier for the driver. There are many of these kinds of gadgets, like phones, voice shopping tools, and home thermostats. The platform, the engine, and the energy source Chrysler said that the idea uses Stellantis’ STLA Large chassis and has a lithium-sulfur battery pack for Halcyon that has yet to be made. The new technology is said to leave behind 60% less carbon than nickel and manganese-based batteries used in most EVs. The company also sees a future where cars will be able to be charged wirelessly even while they are going across the street. Even though no one knows how far the Halcyon can go, Chrysler says it might have an infinite range if mobile charge stations are built. Could you think of us as skeptical? The fast-charging battery in the idea can give customers 200 miles of driving range in five minutes, which Chrysler says would be very helpful. The Halcyon is on my wish list for a future Chrysler. The idea will help the brand grow even if only a few of the new features are made real. Halcyon will need many more years of development before it can be made, so if it is approved, a launch date in 2027 or 2028 seems possible.
