Latest news with #40CVdesRecords
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Manufacturer unveils mind-blowing concept car built to break world records: 'Inspired by fighter planes'
A storied French automotive company has created a sleek "laboratory on wheels" to test new electric vehicle technologies. The Renault Filante Record 2025, an EV concept car, aims to push the limits of aerodynamics and energy efficiency. Electrek reported on the EV, which was designed around the same 87 kilowatt-hour capacity battery as Renault's Scenic E-Tech compact crossover. Renault hopes the bold-looking "Ultraviolet Blue" car will set new records for power consumption and range. If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost Battery range Power and speed The way it looks Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The aeronautical-inspired design is a nod to the brand's rich history and Renault's vision for an electrified future. As demand surges for EVs, researchers are looking for ways to boost battery range. According to a press release, one key goal for the Renault Filante Record 2025 was to make an energy-efficient lightweight vehicle, which in turn would extend battery range. To achieve this, designers combined ultralight materials and advanced manufacturing techniques. Each vehicle component was optimized to reduce weight while still being strong enough to break records. Engineers brought the car's weight down to an impressive 1,000 kilograms (2,204 pounds), according to Electrek, 600 kilograms (1,323 pounds) of which is the battery itself. Some innovations developed for the EV include aerospace-inspired materials, 3D-printed parts, unique friction-reducing tires, and fully electronic steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire technologies. "We designed this vehicle as a sculpture in motion," said Sandeep Bhambra, director of advanced design at Renault. "Inspired by fighter planes and the speed records of the nineteenth century, it reflects both performance and timeless elegance." Designers drew inspiration from Renault's famed 40 CV des Records, which set a string of speed and endurance records between 1924 and 1926, and the Étoile Filante, which broke several speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1956. "The design as a whole seeks to convey an impression of flow and lightness," said Bhambra. Similarly, Renault looked to the brand's history when designing other powerful electric vehicles. The company is also behind the accessible, budget-friendly EV brand Dacia. This latest car is a testament to Renault's vision for future EVs that will maximize performance, comfort, and efficiency. Throughout the automaker's history, it has used motorsports and records to road test innovations before implementing them in production models. The cutting-edge tech developed for the Renault Filante Record 2025 is expected to make its way into the next generation of Renault's electric vehicles. These advancements will continue to shatter misconceptions about EV range and efficiency, powering our transition away from air-polluting, gas-powered cars. Per Electrek, the Renault Filante Record 2025 will be on view at the Rétromobile car show in Paris, before competing for new efficiency records later in the year. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Renault Unveils Futuristic Electric Concept Car
Renault has unveiled one of its oddest ever concept cars, the Filante Record 2025. The single-seater is inspired by legendary record-breaking Renaults such as the 40 CV des Records (1925), Nervasport des Records (1934) and Étoile Filante (1956). With sleek, flowing lines reminiscent of aircraft, it aims to set new performance benchmarks. The demo car debuts at the Rétromobile motor show in Paris from 5 to 9 February before attempting to break efficiency records later in the year. Finished in Ultraviolet Blue, a shade specially developed for the project the vehicle integrates historic design cues such as round headlamps and wheel fairings while embracing cutting-edge aerodynamics. It also showcases pioneering battery technology, using cell-to-pack integration for improved energy efficiency. With its sights set firmly on the future, the Filante Record 2025 is more than a concept—it is a rolling laboratory for Renault's next generation of electric vehicles.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Renault Filante Concept Looks Straight Out Of 'Speed Racer' And Is Going After Real-Life Efficiency Records
Concept cars are typically flights of fancy that preview upcoming design ideas or features, but in recent years there has been an exciting increase in the number of concepts that are not only actually functional, but have been put to the test on race tracks and in the real world. You've got the Mercedes-Benz EQXX, which set long-distance EV range records, and the Porsche Mission R, which served as a race car test bed for electric 718 development, just to name a couple. The latest concept with its eye on real-life achievements is the new Renault Filante, a single-seat EV that will go after efficiency records later this year. The Filante's design and overall purpose is inspired by three different record cars from Renault's past. First is the 40 CV des Records that first emerged in 1925, a group of awesome-looking single-seaters based on the 40 CV road car that set three-hour, 500-km and 500-mile world records, in addition to a 24-hour record of 2,590 miles covered with an average speed of 108 mph. Then there was the Nervasport des Records from 1934, an even cuter single-seater that set nine international and three world records, including a 48-hour record of 4,994 miles driven at an average 104 mph. Finally there was the Étoile Filante from 1956, a streamliner that broke a bunch of Bonneville speed and distance records, hitting 191 mph in just one kilometer. OK, back to this new concept. Renault says it looked to aeronautical cues for the design of the Filante Record 2025 (its full name), with a 'monolithic' skinny that has a bubble cabin like that of a fighter jet, a tapered rear end that's also plane-esque, and fairings coming off the body housing the wheels. Those fairings look pretty incredible, especially with the almost completely covered wheels, and the nose of the Filante echoes Renault's pre-war models with a sharp crease down the center and a shape like the bow of a boat. Visible screws in the bodywork are another nod to airplanes. The whole thing just looks freakin' awesome — Renault says that styling intent was a priority, so while some concessions were made for the best aerodynamic performance, at the end of the day it needed to look good. At 201.6 inches long the Filante is nearly a foot longer than a Toyota Camry, but its 46.9-inch height makes it only an inch taller than a Lamborghini Revuelto, and it's nearly as narrow as a Smart Fortwo. Climb into the cabin and you'll find a seat that 'adapts to the body shape of the driver,' built from thin carbon-fiber blades and covered in a stretched canvas textile. The driver sits leaned back like you would in a Formula 1 car, with legs positioned above the batteries, and there are large glass panels on either side for a better view out. The yoke-style steering wheel is like something out of 'Star Wars,' and it's attached to the cockpit bubble to make ingress and egress easier. In the center of the wheel is a cylindrical flexible screen that shows pertinent data, and both on the wheel and mounted to the cabin on either side are a bunch of analog dials and toggle switches for various functions like drive modes and lights. Renault says the Filante has an air circulation system that ventilates the cabin without needing any technical parts. The Filante's chassis is made from a combination of aluminum, carbon fiber and steel, and Renault says the minimum necessary component cross-sections were used to maximize strength while keeping weight down. More complex parts were 3D printed from Scalmalloy, a special aluminum alloy, and topology optimization software was used to figure out what materials should be used where. The overall weight is just 1,000 kilograms (or around 2,205 pounds), and the 87-kWh battery pack makes up more than 1,300 of those pounds. Renault isn't saying much about the Filante's powertrain, but it uses both brake-by-wire and steer-by-wire to keep weight down and free up space. There are no brake pedals, instead using an electronic control system that distributes braking force when activated by the driver. Even stranger, Renault says 'when the driver turns the wheel, the system sends electrical signals to a central ECU that determines the best way to turn the car, not just with the front wheels, but also with other components such as the engine, brakes and suspension.' Michelin specially designed a set of 19-inch tires that have a 40-percent-lower rolling resistance coefficient compared to a standard car's tires. First up on the Filante's docket will be a debut at Rétromobile in Paris from Feburary 5 to 9, after which Renault will conduct wind-tunnel tests this spring that will confirm simulation results and help the engineers make any necessary tweaks before the car does real-world testing. Renault isn't saying exactly what sort of range records it's gonna try and go after with the Filante, but we'll learn more in the coming months. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Renault's Mad Single Seat Demo Car Is Built For Chasing EV Records
Electric vehicles allow for some unique packaging, opening up the world of automotive design in many ways. And while this Renault Filante Record 2025 demo vehicle isn't exactly what you'd call a production-intent concept, it is one of the coolest cars we've seen come out of France in a long time. Here's what we know so far about the single-seat streamliner focused on electric efficiency. The Renault Filante Record 2025 is an homage to some of the brand's most impactful record holders over the last century, including models like the 1925 40 CV des Records, the 1934 Nervasport des Records, and the 1956 Étoile Filante. Those machines served to highlight the brand's capabilities with speed and endurance, while the new model is focused more on efficiency. The package itself is based around a bespoke 87 kilowatt-hour battery pack supplied by Ampere, with cells integrated directly into the pack without any intermediate module requirements. Renault hopes to use this machine to set a new record for EV efficiency in the first half of the year, so a slick battery is a must. The pack size was chosen to reflect the unit in the production Scenic E-Tech electric SUV, though packaging it was a challenge. The car measures in at just over 67 inches wide, or about three and half inches narrower than a modern Civic. At just under 47 inches tall, it sits comfortably below a Mazda Miata. It's also just a tick shorter than most three-row American SUVs, giving the car some seriously striking proportions. That length is purposeful to aid aerodynamics, a crucial aspect for an efficiency challenge. Thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber and aluminum alloys in conjunction with additive manufacturing techniques, the Renault Filante Record 2025 tips the scales at under 2200 lbs despite 1323 of those pounds accounting for the battery pack itself. The sculpted bodywork is both art-deco and futuristic, and reflects the brand's clear inspiration from fighter jets. The large canopy puts the driver on display, while a blue tint eases the visual transition to the sky. The front and rear wheel fairings are both stylish and help improve aerodynamic efficiency, working in conjunction with bespoke Michelin rubber utilizing an energy-preserving compound and a slimline shape. All of the main controls are done by-wire, with acceleration and braking set to hand controls on the wheel. Drivers also sit canted back like an F1 racer, which only further adds to the unique driving setup. It sure looks like a great view out the front. 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 February 5-9. Later in the year, engineers will begin pushing the car on its journey to capture some records for Renault. Hopefully, the learnings can help improve the efficiency of the brand's road cars, or at least inspire the designers to think outside of the box a bit more. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
