Is the Chrysler Pacifica Van Enough to Keep Chrysler Afloat Until EVs?

So how does Chrysler stay relevant and what is in store for that poor lonely minivan? For now, the Pacifica will continue to be offered with an internal combustion engine or as a plug-in hybrid. A unique addition: a version designed to be a safe and quiet cocoon for those with autism for whom road trips can be traumatic. Chrysler created the Calm Cabin package with a special pillow and seatbelt cover, a seatback organizer, and a light and sound machine to reduce anxiety. It is available now and the automaker worked with local Autism Society chapters to help train the 2,400 dealers to raise awareness of the need to sell vehicles differently to affected customers.

Chrysler is adding the Road Tripper package and a robust midcycle upgrade is planned for a couple of years from now, likely 2026. It will have enhanced features, technology enhancements, and design to keep it fresh until it transitions to an all-electric minivan, says Chrysler brand CEO Chris Feuell.

The next-generation minivan will be on the new STLA Large platform which will improve everything from proportions to dynamics, says Stellantis head of design Ralph Gilles. The platform can accommodate a flat floor with the layout of the batteries in the floor, but also is flexible enough to support powertrains that incorporate internal combustion engines, like the current Pacifica plug-in hybrid.

There is not a huge urgency to get a battery electric Pacifica on the market because sales of the plug-in hybrid are strong, Feuell says. The PHEV is eligible for the $7,500 tax credit and has 32 miles of electric range and 532 miles of blended range, numbers they are always looking to better. On the combustion engine side, it does not make sense to put the new Hurricane I-6 gas engine in the updated minivan, Feuell says. Engineers will keep the current powertrains and continue to improve them to optimize their performance until they are phased out. The CEO won’t say if the next-generation minivan will be offered with multiple powertrain options as of yet.

Work is underway on a major midcycle refresh expected in 2026. And it is not too soon to be working on the all-electric minivan, a vehicle close to the designer’s heart. “I love minivans,” says Gilles. He is mum on how far advanced the sketches and plans are. “As we evolve, electrification is giving us more and more opportunities to move monuments around, to move the theme around, the aesthetics, so it’s never too early to start and it’s a great project for my young, advanced team. I’m sometimes starting as much as eight years ahead, on purpose.”

Chrysler benefitted from its partnership with Waymo, Google’s self-driving division, to advance autonomous driving. Waymo tested its self-driving tech with a fleet of Pacifica PHEVs from 2016 until the contract expired at the end of April. Waymo is now using a fleet of electric Jaguar I-Pace SUVs.

Stellantis is exploring other partnerships. But knowing the Waymo deal would come to an end, the automaker collected and analyzed the data to develop its own in-house technology: STLA Brain which was the foundation for STLA Smart Cockpit, and Autodrive. Stellantis learned a lot about self-driving technology and how it needs to evolve from the work the two companies did together, Feuell says. She does not rule out working with Waymo again in the future, with Chrysler EVs.

The Pacifica minivan will soldier on alone until 2025 when it will be joined by a new large electric crossover inspired by the AirFlow concept. The public won’t see what the production model looks like until next year, but Chrysler execs showed the future crossover to dealers to reassure them that exciting reinforcements are in the works.

“Starting in 2025 you are going to see a succession of new products coming from us every single year,” Feuell says, culminating in a whole new portfolio by 2028. The large two-row Chrysler crossover in 2025 will be followed by a larger three-row electric crossover. Expect smaller SUVs to follow: Stellantis has platforms for crossovers of all sizes. The minivan might be the last entry in 2028. Feuell is not saying how many vehicles there will be in total.

Does Chrysler need a sedan in the future -or will it confine itself to a brand of minivans and crossovers? The car segment has been in decline for 10 years and Dodge has it covered, so it might not make sense for a second brand to invest in a slice of a smaller pie. But Feuell says Chrysler will continue to monitor the market and is not ruling anything out. There are people who want to drive a car because of its size and affordability, so there could be room to get back in at some point in the future, but as the brand rejuvenates itself, the initial focus is on crossovers and minivans.

Under Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, each of the 14 brands has an image: Dodge is pure performance, Jeep is adventure, Ram is work and capability, Chrysler is harmony in motion, Feuell says. It refers to how the customer uses and engages with the vehicle and its technology with frictionless purchasing, sustainable materials, easy to use connectivity. A minivan makes sense, offering a family harmony and utility, and the plug-in hybrid option puts the brand on the path to full electrification.