Ralph Gilles: “Our mission is to make electric vehicles as compelling as we can”
Ralph Gilles, chief design officer at Stellantis, on leaning into legacy, the ongoing challenge of electrification and how Chrysler utilises AI
The Halcyon concept opened the discussion about Chrysler again to show the brand is not going anywhere. Chrysler has often come with game-changing solutions and a compelling value proposition.
Hidden inside the Halcyon is our new logo, shape vocabulary, colour palette and way of expressing luxury, devoid of wood and traditional chrome. There are a lot of messages in the concept, and while it’s a bit exotic, its understatement is also part of the Chrysler story.
Our other brands are committed to their missions so they leave Chrysler space in our portfolio to address a core customer who is affluent, upper middle- class, likes style and wants an American brand. Many elements of this car have already inspired stuff you will see soon.
I believe there’s going to be a return to low-profile aero automobiles. That’s important for efficiency, and you still have a lot of the same ‘value proposition’ as you get from a D-segment SUV. The Halcyon is a hatchback and we’re looking at bringing that back in a lower-slung, but still very useful production vehicle.
The Halcyon concept looks at least five years forward. Now we understand what a battery-electric vehicle can do, we can push and pull proportions and volumes and move components we’ve been designing around for a long time.
Someone who never knew the ’68 Charger will see the new car as a wild thing, but to someone who knows the brand, it tugs at their heartstrings in a way that only a ‘Moparian’ can understand!
With the electric 2024 Dodge Charger we were happy to lean into our legacy. Why not? It’s who we are. But then it’s how we create a new cocktail from it. I feel like a bartender, taking the best of something people know and love and trying to take them somewhere new while not losing any previous momentum.
It’s hard, but it’s our advantage. We have the know-how and history, so it’s up to us to use it, or lose it.
I believe in continuums. People love sequels. When they’re done well – like James Bond – you kind of know the script, but still love being entertained by it. The new Charger has overtones that remind you of things, but the execution is ultra modern.
Someone who never knew the ’68 Charger will see the new car as a wild thing, but to someone who knows the brand, it tugs at their heartstrings in a way that only a ‘Moparian’ can understand!
I don’t think anyone should buy an electric car because they’re told to. Our mission is to make them as compelling as we can, so they really love the way they look and the driving experience. That’s why I get up in the morning.
Then there’s the Jeep Recon. It is inspired by the Wrangler but in no way, shape, or form meant to replace it. Like the cousin of the Wrangler, the Recon is electric and extremely capable in its own right. With great proportions it announces its purpose the minute you see it. It’s all about adventure and is 100% incremental to our portfolio.
Electrification is an ongoing challenge. The market is still developing. A lot of people love the vehicles, but want to see the infrastructure catch up. It’s more of a ‘timing issue’ than a ‘desire issue’. I don’t think anyone should buy an electric car because they’re told to.
Our mission is to make them as compelling as we can, so they really love the way they look and the driving experience. That’s why I get up in the morning.
Beyond ideation, we use AI for aggregating data, especially in our more connected vehicles. AI can help us on the UX side, which is also in my purview. Understanding which features are popular and which are going unused is super-helpful.
Or how much time it takes for someone to navigate through an application. That stuff. It doesn’t affect the behavior of the vehicle and the customers are anonymous to us. We’re just looking at overall use patterns so if there’s any frustration in an application, we will be able to correct it quickly.
Having so many brands is actually an attractive thing because we have so much variety. We have increased our advanced design work too so that’s exciting for our interns and new hires. We put them in the advanced departments so they can see the opportunity and reach of Stellantis, which is a Top Five global car company by sales and operates in every country and continent.
I have Brazilian designers living in the US and vice versa and when they return home their mindsets have changed. It’s on my radar to have exchanges with the studios in Germany and China too. We can create an amazing and compelling career path at Stellantis.