Chrysler presents the idea of Lithium-Sulfur batteries through the Halcyon EV Concept

Just recently, American automaker Chrysler unveiled the Halcyon Concept. Whereas most manufacturers will reveal a concept car with a real model, Chrysler opted to go full digital for this reveal. Nevertheless, the Halcyon Concept is a peek at the direction the American brand is heading and joy of joys, it’s a low-slung four-door sedan. A breath of fresh air if you’ve been craving more from the Chrysler brand than just minivans and people carriers.

Starting with the exterior, the Halcyon looks sleek and stealthy. The front and rear doors swing open to a full 90-degree angle, unveiling a remarkably spacious interior free from the obstruction of a B-pillar. Adding to the flair of the suicide rear doors are the roof panels which lift upward gullwing style. In addition, because the Halcyon sits low to the ground, the concept EV has a wide stance which gives it a bit more character.

Moving inside, the Halcyon Concept is bombarded with new tech. According to Chrysler, the Halcyon is equipped with Level 4 self-driving technology, highlighted by a retractable steering wheel and pedal setup so that drivers can choose to simply be a passenger midway during a journey. If the former driver now passenger gets bored, the Halcyon’s roof panel doubles as an augmented reality display, so they can simply recline and lounge while the car does the tedious work of driving.

Furthermore, the Halcyon features a 15.6-inch rotatable infotainment display that emerges from the center console. The interface is extensively customizable, tailored to individual drivers, and capable of storing unique user profiles for seamless car-sharing experiences without sacrificing personal preferences. Chrysler says the software can retain memories from past road trips of different users, showcasing photo memories relevant to the destination or current location. The Halcyon then, depending on what you want from it, can be a sleek four-door EV, an entertainment system on wheels, or a mobile storage device.

Underneath the sleek bodywork, the Halcyon is said to ride on the STLA Large Platform, the same platform used in the recently launched Jeep Wagoneer EV. Chrysler claims that the Halcyon employs an 800-volt architecture, and in their vision, they will introduce a lithium-sulfur battery pack. According to the automaker, the battery pack will have less impact on the environment with a 60 percent lower carbon footprint than the batteries powering EVs today.

Lithium-sulfur cells replace the traditional mixtures of nickel, manganese, cobalt, and aluminum (known as NMCA) with sulfur, promising higher energy density compared to current EV cells. This advancement theoretically leads to increased EV range in a smaller volume and reduced mass. However, despite these perks, it should be noted that unlike the more prevalent Lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium type batteries in the market today, Lithium-Sulfur batteries are not ready for mass production yet. 

Before we get too excited about that though, we’d like to remind you that the Halcyon is just a concept car. For the real stuff you can buy and drive today, head on over to AutoDeal.com.ph and browse a selection of cars from different manufacturers.