Chrysler’s new EV will create a new category, drawing upon lessons learned from designing the brand’s minivan, according to chief design officer Ralph Gilles.
“Chrysler was one of those brands that was honestly on the OR table, and we decided to reinvest in it big time,” Gilles said at the TechCrunch Sessions: Mobility conference last week. Now, the brand is planning to go fully electric by 2028, beginning with the 2025 launch of its first EV.
Based on the Chrysler Airflow crossover concept shown at the New York Auto Show in April, this inaugural EV is tasked with setting the design direction for parent company Stellantis’ $35 billion investment in bringing more EVs to market.
“We’re going to come late to the party, but with a really good bottle of wine.” Ralph Gilles
Gilles said the Airflow creates a new vehicle segment that harkens back to the vehicle Gilles most wants to be known for: the Chrysler Pacifica minivan.
“It’s such a Swiss Army knife,” Gilles said. “It’s the unsung hero of a lot of busy people’s lives.”