While other car manufacturers are busy breaking records by showcasing outright speed, Renault has taken a different, more efficient approach. With its Filante Record EV concept, the French automaker has successfully achieved a range of 1,008km on a single charge.
The feat was accomplished at the UTAC test track in Morocco, with the sole objective of completing the distance within 10 hours, including technical stops and driver changes. The car was driven by three Renault Group personnel, beginning with development driver Laurent Hurgon, followed by chassis control systems engineer Constance Léraud-Reyser, and completed by chassis tuning engineer Arthur Ferrière.
To achieve the record, the Filante Record EV was equipped with a standard 87kWh battery sourced from the Scenic E-Tech Electric. Drivers were tasked with maintaining an average speed of 102km/h while recording an energy consumption figure of just 7.8kWh per 100km. According to Renault, this approach was chosen specifically to establish a meaningful efficiency record rather than simply maximising range.
Renault added that if their goal had been to drive the longest possible distance between charges, the designers and experts could have fitted the car with a huge battery or driven it in eco mode at an average speed of 30km/h. Instead, the achievement demonstrates not only battery efficiency, but efficiency sustained at relatively high speeds.
However, the battery alone was not responsible for this milestone. The Filante Record EV’s design also played a crucial role. Drawing inspiration from aircraft engineering, the concept features ultra-lightweight materials, including carbon fibre, aluminium alloys and 3D-printed Scalmalloy. It was also fitted with custom-engineered Michelin tyres designed to reduce rolling resistance while enhancing aerodynamic performance.
At the end of the session, the Filante Record EV still retained 11% battery capacity. According to the automaker, this remaining charge would have been sufficient to cover an additional 120km at speeds exceeding 100km/h. “The findings from this venture will inform the development of future road-going electric models, enabling them to achieve ever higher levels of efficiency and meet customers’ real-life needs ever more closely – even in the most demanding conditions, such as sustained highway speeds,” Renault stated.
(Source: Renault Press Release)
