The Renault Filante Record 2025 looks to the brand's past as it pursues efficiency greatness.
Renault hopes to use this machine to set a new record for EV efficiency in the first half of the year and, while this demo vehicle isn’t exactly what you’d call a production-intent concept, this single-seat streamliner is a fabulous looking beast.
The sculpted bodywork is both art-deco and futuristic, and seems to draw inspiration from fighter jets. The car measures in at just over 67 inches wide, and just under 47 inches tall. The length is purposeful to aid aerodynamics, a crucial aspect for an efficiency challenge. And, thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber and aluminum alloys, it's remarkably light and weighs in at just under 2200 lbs - with the battery pack accounting for over half that weight.
The car is slated for further wind tunnel tests in the spring, but will be displayed ahead of time at the Rétromobile Motor Show in Paris from 5 to 9 February.
All images credit: Renault
Later in the year, engineers will begin pushing the car on its mission to capture some records for Renault. Hopefully, the process and the resulting data will help improve the efficiency of the brand’s road cars, or at least inspire the designers to think outside the box a bit more.
In the meantime, the French are proving themselves to be enthusiastic buyers of EVs, with more than 15 percent of all new cars sold in November 2024 being electric.
With the new retro-tastic Renault 5 hot hatch taking the top sales spot.
The blend of retro styling with modern tech inside has made the new 5 hugely appealing, especially at the price - starting at just under £23,000 ($30,000), and topping out at £29,000 ($37,700) if you add all the customisable features inside and out. It is part of Europe's new wave of more affordable electric vehicles.