Chrysler Airflow Graphite Concept Trades Paint in New York

CES is a good place to unveil a forward-thinking concept, but since it’s not open to the public it’s hard to let the average person get up close with something that debuts there. But second chances abound, and Chrysler is re-debuting a recent concept in order to give the public a look into its future.

Chrysler on Wednesday unveiled the Airflow Graphite Concept at the 2022 New York Auto Show. Originally shown in January at CES, the Airflow is loaded with styling and technological cues that should give us a pretty good idea of what Chrysler intends to do in the era of electrification.

Whereas the initial concept was cast in sleek white paint, Chrysler opted for something a little more menacing in New York. The Airflow Graphite is now rocking a Galaxy Black paint job, featuring Cyprus copper accents on the window trim, wheels, panoramic roof and wheels. It does look like the grille has been tweaked a bit, too, with a new design that ditches the traditional Chrysler wings in favor of one with additional illumination.

The inside doesn’t change things up much, either. The top half of the interior is also painted black with the formerly white lower half swapped out for a warmer gray. And like the exterior, there are a number of copper accents throughout. Otherwise, it’s mostly the same in here, with a number of sustainable materials (ignoring the non-vegan leather) and eight total screens, including that monstrous one in the middle of the dashboard.

Underneath this slightly different body is the same tech that Chrysler debuted at CES. Parent company Stellantis’ STLA SmartCockpit tech offers loads of connected services, including video chats, and it all runs on the STLA Brain Platform, a new electrical and software architecture that will underpin future vehicles. The concept promises Level 3 (conditional) automated driving, which still requires a human take over in certain circumstances. Under the body are two 201-horsepower electric motors, but it’s designed to accommodate something beefier. Its battery permits an overall range of 400 miles.

Considering how close the Airflow Graphite concept looks in relation to production vehicles, it’s safe to say that we should see a number of elements make the leap to real-deal products. However, you may have to wait a while for that to happen. Right now, Chrysler’s first EV is slated for a 2025 unveiling, and the automaker’s lineup should be fully electric by 2028.