In the mid-1930s Chrysler released a car called the Airflow, one of the first major production vehicles designed with streamlining in mind. It had a very short production run, as at the time it was a little too far out for car buyers to embrace. Nearly a century later, Chrysler revived the name for a concept representing what its first BEV could be.
Initially revealed at CES 2022, the Airflow represented Chrysler’s commitment to have an all EV line up by 2028. It promised 350-400 miles of range and pegged to hit roads by 2025. In August of 2022, Chrysler revealed more details like its 118-kWh battery pack, STLA SmartCockpit hardware, and Level 3 autonomous driving. We estimated it would start at $50,000.
Things have changed quite a bit since the Airflow concept was first introduced. When new Chrysler Brand CEO Christine Feuell showed up, she wanted to switch things up a bit. Like the original Airflow of the 1930s, the reception to the Airflow concept wasn’t what we would call enthusiastic. Its design was a bit too bland to garner the kind of attention that Chrysler’s first BEV should get. She asked Stellantis chief design officer Ralph Gilles to come up with something more exciting, something unlike anything that the brand may have previously teased—Airflow concept included. Stellantis also told us that when its electric SUV does reach production, it won’t be called the Airflow, but naturally it was mum on what the official name would be.
However, it looks like we might have stumbled upon that name ahead of schedule. A report from CarBuzz reveals that FCA USA recently trademarked the word “Vivid” with the Mexican Patent and Trademark Office. CarBuzz suspects that the word may have been trademarked for a Fiat vehicle, or may be as simple as a new exterior color for Fiat, but what if it’s more than that? What if “Vivid” is the new name for Chrysler’s upcoming EV?
The jury is out on Vivid being a better name than Airflow, but that’s another story. There’s no official word linking “Vivid” to Chrysler’s upcoming EV, but the timing of the filing (we’re supposed to see the electric SUV next year) seems to line up. The sequence of events is enough to pique our interest. Stay tuned as things develop.
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