Following the reports about the death of the Chrysler Airflow EV concept from last May, design boss Ralph Gilles felt the need to clarify some things that were allegedly “misunderstood”. Gilles said that the design of the EV concept will evolve, instead of being scraped for an entirely new proposal as it was initially believed. However, he admitted that the final product will not look “verbatim like the concept” as it will forge a “refreshing new direction” for the brand.
The designer shared his thoughts on his Instagram profile in an effort to defend the styling of the Airflow EV which was first shown in June 2021 before being exhibited in various shows as a preview for a future production vehicle. Gilles said that the electric crossover was “just the beginning of the story”, adding that it embodies “a myriad of concepts we are cooking up with the extended and now even more capable Stellantis apparatus”.
Read: Congrats, You’re Chrysler’s New CEO! What Would You Do?
The design boss said that his team is still exploring the themes of electrification, advanced infotainment, sustainable cabin materials, aerodynamics, automated driving, etc, which were highlighted in the Airflow EV. We understand that Gilles wanted to stop the speculation about the new CEO not being happy with their efforts at the design studio.
As a refresher, the original report suggested that Chrysler CEO, Christine Feuell, sent designers back to the drawing board, challenging them with creating “something even better” than the Airflow EV. According to Ralph Gilles, the resulting proposal is among the designs he is the most excited about, proving they agree on the future direction of the troubling Stellantis brand.
The next evolution of Chrysler’s design will be presented sometime in 2024, with the unveiling of the next concept. Hopefully, this one will closely preview the production model which is set to follow in 2025 and give us more hints about it. Chrysler’s Tesla-rivaling proposal is expected to ride on the new STLA underpinnings and have a more tech-forward approach.
