Renault has unveiled its latest breakthrough in electric mobility with the Filante Record 2025, a cutting-edge demo car designed to push the limits of aerodynamics, energy efficiency, and performance. This innovative single-seater, which doubles as a “laboratory on wheels,” aims to set a new record for energy consumption and range, equipped with an 87 kWh battery inspired by the Scenic E-Tech Electric. Boasting an ultra-lightweight body of just 1,000 kg and an extraordinary length of 5.12 metres, its design blends sustainable mobility goals with bold, futuristic aesthetics.
The Filante Record 2025 will make its debut appearance at Paris’s Rétromobile motor show in February 2025 before attempting to break records in the first half of the year. True to Renault’s history, which includes iconic record-setting vehicles such as the 40 CV des Records and Étoile Filante, this car pays tribute to the brand’s heritage while charting new ground for sustainable automotive innovation.
Renault designers sought inspiration from the 40 CV des Records (1925) and Étoile Filante (1956) to give the Filante Record 2025 its distinct shape, characterized by flowing, streamlined lines that reinforce its aerodynamic prowess. Painted in an iridescent Ultraviolet Blue—designed to shift between blue and violet under light—its color and features, like separated wheels and fairings, subtly echo the design of its predecessors. At the same time, the vehicle introduces thoroughly modern elements, combining timeless aesthetics with ultra-efficient aeronautical engineering.
Every detail of the Filante Record 2025 embodies both art and science. From its fighter jet-inspired cockpit to the visible screws reminiscent of aircraft construction, the vehicle fuses advanced efficiency with sleek sophistication. The wheel fairings, for example, not only enhance the car’s monolithic silhouette but also optimize air penetration, minimising aerodynamic drag. The elongated body further supports this, improving airflow and ensuring seamless transitions between body components in collaboration with Ligier Automotive’s design and engineering teams.
To achieve record-level efficiency, Renault focused on radical weight-saving measures for the Filante Record 2025. Engineers utilized a blend of ultralight materials—carbon fibre, aluminium, and high-strength steel alloys—along with advanced 3D-printing techniques. Scalmalloy, a high-strength aluminium alloy, allowed them to craft ultra-precise, lightweight parts while reducing waste. This meticulous material selection enabled the vehicle to stay under 1,000 kg without compromising structural integrity or safety.
Topology optimisation also played a key role in weight reduction, relying on AI and advanced simulations to strategically distribute structural material only where it is necessary, ensuring strength where needed and eliminating excess mass. By combining these technologies, Renault has successfully created a car that stuns with its balance of durability and lightness.
The Filante Record 2025 is packed with cutting-edge technology, including steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire systems that remove mechanical connections, offering enhanced performance and design flexibility. The ingenious cockpit design—modeled after aerospace interiors—features a hammock-style seat suspended on carbon blades, lowering overall weight while ensuring ergonomic comfort. A flexible panoramic screen provides the driver real-time data, and the F1-inspired driving position improves visibility and efficiency. Even the car’s ventilation system is simplified to conserve energy without sacrificing functionality.
Engineers behind the Filante Record 2025 applied both numerical simulation and wind tunnel testing to refine its aerodynamics, with special attention paid to reducing drag and turbulence around its separated wheels. The collaboration between Renault and Ligier ensured that every design choice balanced aesthetics with function, creating a harmonious fusion of sculptural beauty and record-setting performance.
The Renault Filante Record 2025 is a vision for the future of sustainable mobility. As it gears up to set new benchmarks in efficiency and design, this electric vehicle is poised to inspire the next generation of production models.
