Electric Chrysler SUV development halted

Electric Chrysler SUV development halted

Stellantis has halted development of what was to be the first electric vehicle for its Chrysler brand, shifting focus to other electric models.

The Chrysler Airflow concept unveiled in 2022 was to serve as the basis for a production electric SUV, but Mopar Insiders reported earlier this week that development work on this model had been suspended. That report cited an email to suppliers saying the program was “on hold until further notice” and that “any spending associated with this program should be suspended immediately.”

Chrysler Airflow concept

Chrysler Airflow concept

A Stellantis spokesperson confirmed to Green Car Reports that the electric SUV “is paused for now as we assess the market and our customers’ needs and wants.” This means the Chrysler brand will continue with just a single minivan—sold as both the Voyager and Pacifica, the latter available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain—in 2025, its 100th anniversary year.

A refreshed Pacifica is coming in 2026, the spokesperson confirmed, followed by a new crossover SUV and a third model based on the Halcyon concept, Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell confirmed in an interview earlier this month. Unveiled in 2024, the Halcyon is an electric four-door coupe that likely appeals to a smaller market than an SUV.

Chrysler Airflow concept

Chrysler Airflow concept

Chrysler initially said that it would launch an electric SUV based on the Airflow concept in 2025, but enthusiasm for the project seemed to wane quickly after that. In 2023, Feuell reportedly ordered a rethink that would have dropped the concept’s styling and the Airflow name, which references a pioneering Chrysler model line from the 1930s that helped introduce aerodynamic design to the automotive industry.

Feuell told Green Car Reports in 2022 that Chrysler was also developing an electric minivan, and in an interview at the 2024 LA Auto Show last November, the CEO confirmed that this new model will bear the Pacifica name. It’s slated to be introduced at some point after the refreshed version of the current Pacifica debuts in 2026.

Author: EVAI

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