Renault Filante Record 2025 Aims to Set Efficiency Records This Year
The thin body is fashioned from carbon fiber and designed to cut through the air with minimal drag.
The Filante features steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, extensive use of lightweight materials, and unique friction-reducing tires from Michelin.
French automakers are known for eccentric designs, and Renault has cooked up something particularly kooky for 2025. This torpedo-like vehicle is the Filante Record 2025, an electric concept car inspired by a series of record-setting vintage Renaults. But this isn't some static flight of fantasy. Not only is the Filante operational, but Renault plans to use it to set a new record for electric efficiency and range this year.
The Filante Record 2025 is rooted in history. Its purpose and its aerodynamic bodywork reference a trio of old Renaults that set records in their own day. The Filante's thin fuselage mimics that of the 1925 40 CV des Records and 1934 Nervasport des Records, while the name and curvy fenders draw upon the 1956 Etoile Filante. Renault partnered with Ligier Automotive—which builds endurance race cars and is loosely tied to the F1 team from the '70s and '80s—for the development of the Filante Record 2025.
The streamlined Ultraviolet Blue body stretches 201.6 inches long but just 46.9 inches tall, roughly 14 inches longer than a Lexus LC500 but six inches shorter. The lengthy hood curves rearwards to a glass bubble that recalls the cockpit of a fighter jet. The front and rear wheel fairings sit independently of the body for aerodynamic efficiency and are linked back to the main structure by a few black struts. Renault aims to conduct wind-tunnel tests this spring to further hone the bodywork.
Renault describes the Filante Record 2025 as a "laboratory on wheels," fitting the concept with a variety of futuristic technologies. Renault says the prototype weighs around 2205 pounds thanks to a lightweight chassis made from a combination of aluminum, carbon, and steel alloys. The body is fashioned from carbon fiber, and Renault also 3-D-printed certain parts using Scalmalloy, a high-strength aluminum alloy. Computer programs allowed Renault to reduce the amount of material used to only the most crucial sections needed to maintain rigidity.
Under the dramatic bodywork lies an 87.0-kWh battery, which Renault notes is the same capacity as the pack found in the road-going Scenic E-Tech SUV. Renault says the cells are integrated directly into the battery pack, eliminating intermediate modules and keeping the battery's weight to around 1323 pounds.
The cockpit is snug, holding just one seat. That seat is made from stretched canvas over a series of thin carbon blades, contributing to the low curb weight. Renault compares the setup to a hammock and says it adapts to the shape of the driver's body. An ultra-thin screen wrapped around a cylinder sits ahead of the driver to show important information and control various functions. Renault also touts an air-circulation system that will ventilate the cabin without adding parts and weight.
The party trick is the steering wheel, which is, in fact, not actually a wheel. Instead, the Filante features a yolk-like setup with two handles that control the acceleration, braking, and steering. The Filante has both steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire systems, relying on an electronic link between the driver's controls and the wheels and brakes. The Filante Record also features unique friction-reducing tires from Michelin that should help maximize the electric range.
Renault will show off the Filante Record 2025 at the Rétromobile show in Paris starting on February 5 before the car embarks on its attempt to set a new record for efficiency in the first half of 2025.
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