Radical Renault Filante Record 2025 manages 1,000km on a single charge, all at high speeds
Like the Filante Record 2025, the Renault 40CV 'des Records' was a single-seater with an enormous, elongated bonnet, housing a thunderous 9.1-litre engine. This also pushed the cockpit back as far as possible, with the design influenced by fighter planes of the time. The wheels on the 2025 car are separated from the body, as they were on the 40 CV des Records and the later Nervasportdes Records from 1934 that also served as inspiration.
Originally, the fairings resembled those from the turbine-powered Etoile Filante from 1956, but following wind tunnel testing, the designers reshaped and simplified them, and mounted them directly onto the wheels, which improved airflow. Advertisement - Article continues below Underneath those curvaceous fairings are specially designed 19-inch Michelin tyres that create around 40 per cent less rolling resistance than ordinary car tyres[1].
While Renault hasn't confirmed the Filante Record 2025's drag coefficient (how easily it cuts through the air), we expect it to be similar to the 0.17 of the Mercedes EQXX, which is a very streamlined car. Like the unique round headlights, the Ultraviolet Blue colour is a nod to the Filante Record 2025's ancestors, and it appears either blue or violet depending the light conditions and how you're looking at the car. Meanwhile, the interior draws from the world of aviation, Formula One[2] and even space travel, and is designed so that every control is easily within the driver's reach.
New technology onboard
The Filante Record 2025 uses steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire that, as their names suggest, do without mechanical connections from the steering wheel to the front wheels, or for the brakes.
This reduces the number of mechanical components required, which in turn frees up more space under the metal and reduces weight. Another benefit of a steer-by-wire system is that the steering wheel and other components can be fitted wherever Renault needs, which allows its engineers to overcome platform-related constraints. Additionally, the relative freedom created by brake and steer-by-wire systems means that the controls can be placed on the steering wheel, making driving the car more accessible and easier for people with limited mobility.
The 87kWh battery in Filante Record 2025 also uses new cell-to-pack technology to maximise efficiency, reduce weight and make the most of the available space, which was limited, despite the car measuring 5.12 metres long - about the same as a Mercedes S-Class[3]. That's because the single-seater is only 1.71 metres wide, meaning it's narrower than a Renault Clio[4] supermini. It also only weighs 1,000kg - with 600kg of this being the battery pack.
Click here for our list of the fastest electric cars in the world...[5]
References
- ^ car tyres (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
- ^ Formula One (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
- ^ Mercedes S-Class (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
- ^ Renault Clio (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
- ^ fastest electric cars in the world... (www.autoexpress.co.uk)