Wild Renault Filante claims EV efficiency record

More than 620 miles from a Scenic battery at 63mph - with another 70 still in the tank...

By Matt Bird / Tuesday, 23 December 2025 / Loading comments

Well, this is neat timing. At the beginning of the year, Renault revealed the incredible Filante Record 2025, an EV concept that both evoked record-breaking cars of the past and aimed to demonstrate where electric efficiency could be improved in the future. Renault was targeting record runs before 2025 was out and, well, here we are, on Christmas Eve Eve, with the results of Renault’s endeavours. They’re impressive, to say the least…

The Filante drove 1,008km in less than 10 hours, averaging 102km/h and 7.8kWh/100km in that time. Or, as we might prefer it, 626 miles, 63mph and 7.96mi/kWh. Let’s call it eight miles per kilowatt hour, when a good EV officially achieves half that. The long-range Scenic E-Tech, for example, which shares an 87kWh battery with the Filante, has a WLTP score of 4.28mi/kWh. And it probably doesn’t do that at a steady 63mph.

The Filante was so frugal, in fact, that even at the end of the marathon run in Morocco, the battery still had 11 per cent in it; at the consumption it had demonstrated, the Filante would still be capable of another 75 miles at more than 62mph. The drivers involved (including Laurent Hurgon, the madman who used to do Renault’s ‘ring laps) were tasked with keeping the speed above 68mph for their entire stint, so as to replicate actual motorway driving - steady state cruising being anathema to the average battery-powered car. It wouldn’t have suited the original Filante concept either, which had an extensive wind tunnel redesign in the spring to get its drag co-efficient from 0.40 to 0.30. All of which means that for those people you find on the internet that apparently drive from Southampton to Aberdeen on a regular basis in very little time, this might be just the car for them…

Except, obviously, Renault isn’t about to sell a Filante E-Tech in its showrooms alongside 4s, 5s and Meganes. Much like the Vision EQXX from Mercedes (which averaged 7.5mi/kWh from Stuttgart to Silverstone), this shows off what can be achieved if EVs are made as light, aerodynamic and intelligent as possible. When every production car with a battery pack seems to come out at more than two tonnes, the Filante is just 1,000kg. Renault has drawn praise for keeping its EVs relatively light (see the 5, which comes in at under 1,400kg), though this car shows how there remains room for improvement.

Unique features to get the Filante to its incredible numbers include one-off Michelin low rolling resistance tyres, extensive use of carbon, aluminium and ‘3D-printed Scalmalloy’, plus optimising component design to only use materials where absolutely necessary. That’s also why steer- and brake-by-wire were used for the Record 2025; without the hardware requirements of traditional setups, more ‘architectural possibilities’ were opened up to reduce weight further. That sort of thinking definitely seems like it could make it to the showroom sooner rather than later.

Indeed Renault says to expect ‘a few exciting surprises’ in 2026 as development of the concept continues. Given what the brand has already achieved in the EV space, from Twizy to Turbo 3E and 4 Savane to a proper electric hot hatch, expectations will be high. Olivier Blanche, project manager of the Filante Record 2025, said: ”This project was born from an obsession: achieving record-breaking efficiency. We battled the weather and aerodynamics, but what stands out most for me is the human adventure: an incredibly motivating collective challenge, driven by the dedication of the Renault teams and all our partners”. Should you exhaust all festive viewing options before the new year (no judgement here), a Filante mini series is coming to YouTube soon.