Designed for record performance
Renault has unveiled an electric, single-seater concept car that has been designed to set a new record for efficiency in the first half of this year.
The Filante Record 2025 combines the marque’s heritage with a futuristic vision of electric mobility and is inspired by the 40 CV des Records (1925-1926), Nervasport des Records (1934) and Etoile Filante (1956).
The demo car was on display at the Retromobile motor show in Paris, France, this month and its developers say they want to push the limits of aerodynamics and energy efficiency
Renault adds every detail of the bodywork has been optimised to reduce drag, with features that bring to mind the curves and shapes of high-performance aircraft.
Weight was also a priority in the design and the visible screws on the bodywork are inspired by aircraft construction techniques.
The interior design has also been inspired by the worlds of aviation and space travel, with every detail created to maximise performance, comfort and efficiency.
The driver’s seat, for example, is made from stretched canvas, similar in style to a hammock, for a lightweight design with optimum support.
The steering wheel’s handles control the acceleration, braking and steering functions using fully electronic steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire technologies, integrated into a 3D-printed structure made of Scalmolloy.
At the centre of the steering wheel, a flexible panoramic screen provides a display of essential data, such as speed, range and driving parameters.
Based on a collaboration between engineering and design teams from Renault and Ligier Automotive, the Filante Record 2025 demo car maximises the use of carbon fibre.
This has helped reduce the weight of the chassis and body components without compromising their structural strength, and the vehicle comes in at under 1,000kg.
Cell-to-pack technology from Ampere maximises the energy efficiency of the vehicle while delivering space and weight savings. The cells are integrated directly into the battery pack without intermediate modules, which reduces the pack’s weight.
The name Renault Filante Record 2025 is a reference to two of the brand’s past models with Filante referring to the Etoile Filante, an aeronautics-inspired single-seater vehicle built in 1956 for the purpose of establishing new speed records.
Meanwhile, Record relates to the 40 CV des Records, single-seater vehicles with streamlined bodywork that were narrower than the Renault 40 CV and set a string of speed and endurance records from 1925.
