Chrysler Unveils New Halcyon EV Concept

After a week of teases, we finally are able to see Chrysler’s Halcyon concept battery electric vehicle. The concept car is designed to represent “Harmony in Motion” and gives us a glimpse of Chrysler’s plans for the future. The concept incorporates all of the technology that Stellantis is exploring for the future including full autonomous driving and total connectivity. Halcyon was supposed to debut at CES 2024 but Stellantis instead did a worldwide debut on its website. Chrysler revealed the concept to journalists at the end of January and it has been torture not to be able to release pictures of the futuristic concept. 

“The Chrysler Halcyon Concept creates a level of serenity that fully represents the Halcyon name. The Halcyon showcases innovative and sustainable mobility solutions that embrace technology and offer value to customers while delivering Harmony in Motion,” said Chris Feuell, Chrysler brand CEO – Stellantis. “The Chrysler Halcyon Concept brings to life a fully electric tomorrow through new technology suites from Stellantis that integrate with simple and pure aerodynamic design and a seamless, connected and immersive cockpit experience.”

Chrysler Halcyon Concept

The futuristic-looking Halcyon concept is designed on the STLA Large platform. That is the same platform that will support the 2025 Dodge Daytona Charger EV. The Daytona Charger EV is a muscle car designed to replace the Dodge Challengers and Chargers that were phased out at the end of 2023.  The Halcyon offers a sneak peek of the Chrysler brand’s vision of an all-electric future. The concept is a four-door, that sits very low to the ground. It has a subtle-yet-functional front air blade aerodynamic pass-through area that should enhance aerodynamics and improve BEV range capability.

The Chrysler Halcyon concept integrates Stellantis’ STLA Brain, STLA SmartCockpit and STLA AutoDrive technologies.

The car features a lot of glass, to create an open-air feel. The concept’s windshield extends out to the edges of the front end, elongating the cockpit to create a wide, sweeping view that connects the driver to the road. It also has an unusual butterfly-hinged canopy which should make it easier to get in and out of the vehicle. The side doors open wide to also create easy accessibility. Chrysler describes the doors as red-carpet-style, other auto makers call them salon- style side doors. The Halcyon’s air-suspension is supposed to lift the vehicle to make it easier to get in and out of.

The rear seats retract into trunk area to show how Stow ‘n Go seating could evolve for the future.

Halcyon Designed for Sustainability

Chrysler Halcyon Concept uses 95% sustainable interior materials. One of the highlights is Chrysler wing logos made out of crushed and recycled music CDs.

Interior materials were chosen not just for sustainability, but also for compatibility with the open-air character of the cockpit, such as laser-pattern Solar White suede, made from 73% PET bottles and used on the upper seat and door areas. A Mayan Gold stitch brings a warm feel to the seats, and a non-leather synthetic soft trim wraps the lower seats, with seatbacks wrapped in Solar White synthetic soft trim. Polyester, 100% recycled Mélange Heather, fabric also accents the interior.

The Dark Grey wood interior floor features a malleable, textile-infused wood with a microfiber backing, offering multiple potential applications. The wood is traceable, referring to the process of tracking and tracing the raw material throughout its entire production. Brushed Black Copper door and door sill film accents provide an alternative to paint and lower the concept’s use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted during the painting process. The thin film material subtly transitions in shades from black to brown and works well with the light, open-air cabin. Door sills also carry the unique crushed-CD-style Chrysler wing logo.

Preparing for Autonomous Driving

Both the steering wheel and the 15.6-inch console screen can be stowed away allowing for fully autonomous driving. Both can be voice controlled and summoned at an instant for the people who love to drive. All of the climate controls, lighting and sounds inside the vehicle can be preset for each driver or passenger.

The Chrysler Halcyon concept showcases innovative Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) technology to wirelessly recharge the vehicle as it travels, allowing for unlimited range. Several parts of the country are experimenting with roads wired for charging. The concept’s undercarriage is designed to incorporate inductive charging technology, with sensors integrated in the vehicle communicating with sensors under the road to charge the battery and provide unlimited range. The technology is expensive to build into roadways but it will change the industry if it actually develops because it would remove range anxiety.

The concept also features a new type of battery. The breakthrough 800V lithium-sulfur EV batteries do not use nickel, cobalt or manganese. The new batteries have an estimated 60% lower carbon footprint than today’s best-in-class batteries. If successful, the batteries could be the lowest emissions EV battery on the global market. Stellantis is investing in a battery company exploring the development of lithium-sulfur batteries.

Reveal of Chrysler Halcyon Concept can be viewed online at chrysler.com

The Chrysler Halcyon is the latest concept representing the brand’s electrification transformation. Previously, the brand revealed the Chrysler Portal Concept in 2017, the Chrysler Airflow Concept in 2022 and the Chrysler Synthesis Cockpit Demonstrator in 2023.

Chrysler will launch the brand’s first battery-electric vehicle, a crossover based on the Airflow concept, in 2025 and will transition to an all-electric portfolio in 2028. The Chrysler Halcyon Concept is not expected to go into production anytime soon but reinforces the brand’s commitment to the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 plan. Stellantis plans to cut its global carbon footprint by 50% by 2030 and to be net carbon zero by 2038.

Chrysler Photos

Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.

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