Author: EVAI

• The test car is named after three record-setting Renault prototypes from the last century
• Renault claims the mostly carbon-fiber prototype weighs less than 2,204 pounds
• Most of the weight is from an 87-kwh capacity battery pack

Renault on Thursday unveiled a concept car designed not just to look pretty on auto show stands, but to test new ways of improving electric-vehicle efficiency.

The Renault Filante Record 2025 is a single-seat EV that will be used in efficiency and range record attempts later this year, Renault said in a press release. First, it will be displayed at the Retromobile classic car show in Paris, which runs Feb. 5-9, alongside cars that inspired it.

Renault has a long history of record-setting prototypes. The Filante Record 2025 takes its name from three of them: the Ètoile Filante (French for “shooting star”) that set speed records at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats in the 1950s, and the 40 CV des Records and Nervasport des Records that set various speed and endurance records in the 1920s and 1930s, respectively.

Renault Filante Record 2025

The open-wheel bodywork, round headlights, and cab-rearward proportions are retro homages to those historic record cars, particularly the 40 CV des Records. That’s thematically consistent with Renault’s current road-car strategy which, as demonstrated with the Renault 5 E-Tech hatchback, doesn’t shy away from retro styling.

The design is still wind-tunnel proven, Renault claims. The elongated shape helps better control airflow around the body, and the wheels and suspension components have full fairings like those of a land-speed record streamliner. The driver sits in a reclined position similar to that of a Formula 1 race car, with the steering wheel attached to the cockpit canopy for easier ingress and egress.

Body panels are held together with visible screws, a choice inspired by aircraft construction that helps save weight, according to Renault. The panels themselves are carbon fiber, while the chassis is comprised of a combination of aluminum, carbon fiber, and steel. Topology optimization—the use of software models to determine the minimal amount of material needed in a given area—helped further reduce weight down to what Renault claims is less than 2,204 pounds.

Renault Filante Record 2025

The battery pack accounts for 1,322 pounds of that total. It has the same 87-kwh capacity as the pack in the Renault Scénic E-Tech crossover, but with cell-to-pack tech the automaker claims reduces weight and allows for more flexible packaging (the pack is placed forward in the chassis, under the driver’s feet). Similarly, steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire systems helped designers make the most of the limited space in the Filante Record 2025’s cockpit.

Renault didn’t provide much detail on the powertrain, but said the Filante Record 2025 will roll on specially-designed Michelin tires with a slim design to help reduce aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance.

As a one-off prototype designed to escape the weight-and-efficiency spiral of current EVs aiming for records, the Filante Record 2025 is similar in intent to the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX concept, which in 2022 managed 746 miles on a single charge on a road trip from Stuttgart, Germany, to the Silverstone racetrack in the U.K.—with enough charge leftover for a few victory laps. But where the EQXX at least vaguely resembled a road car, with four doors and a conventional interior, the Filante Record 2025 seems tailored for racetracks.

Kia is recalling 80,255 Niro models because of a wiring issue that could interfere with the deployment of airbags.

The recall encompasses hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric versions of the Niro from model years 2023-2025 equipped with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the floor wiring assembly beneath the front passenger seat may become damaged by repeated sliding of the seat for fore and aft adjustment, according to the NHTSA.

2025 Kia Niro EV

Damaged wires could result in non-deployment of airbags and/or seatbelt pre-tensioners during a crash, inadvertent deployment of the passenger side airbag, and the inability to deactivate the front passenger airbag for a child or underweight seat occupant—increasing the risk of injury. If this condition occurs, drivers may see an illuminated airbag warning light on the dashboard.

Kia told the NHTSA that it is unaware of any crashes, injuries, fatalities, or fires related to this condition, which the automaker determined is due to incorrect routing of the wires under the front passenger seat.

2025 Kia Niro EV

The remedy is inspection and rerouting or, as necessary, replacement of the affected wires, which dealers will do free of charge. Kia expects to mail owner notification letters Mar. 14. Owners can also call Kia’s customer service department at 1-800-333-4542 or visit Kia’s recall site with any questions. Kia’s reference number for this recall is SC332.

This recall covers all model years of the current-generation Niro, which receives minor changes for 2025 and holds steady on pricing across all three powertrain options. It continues to offer up to 53 mpg combined in hybrid form, 33 miles of electric range in plug-in hybrid form, and 253 miles of range in all-electric form, while serving as Kia’s entry point for each powertrain type.

Toyota ended 2024 with global sales of 10.8 million vehicles, including those from its premium Lexus brand, small-car subsidiary Daihatsu, and commercial vehicle division Hino Motors. Despite a 3.7% decline from the previous year, Toyota maintained its position as the world’s largest automaker by sales volume for the fifth consecutive year…

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Polestar is looking north with rally-ready versions of its current lineup of electric vehicles.

The automaker started down this icy road in 2022 with the Polestar 2 Arctic Circle concept, which featured modifications for snow and ice driving. Now that concept has been joined by Arctic Circle versions of the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 SUVs, with all three being shown together for the first time Thursday.

Polestar Arctic Circle collection

Developed with input from Polestar head of driving dynamics Joakim Rydholm, a veteran driver with multiple Swedish rally podiums to his name, the Arctic Circle concepts all have raised ride heights, three-way-adjustable Öhlins dampers, OZ Racing wheels, Pirelli studded tires, Recaro bucket seats, and Stedi driving lights.

Other additions, such as roof racks, show shovels, skid plates and, in the case of the Polestar 3, snow ladders, don’t improve performance but do make life in the wintry conditions these vehicles were intended for easier. And while Polestar hasn’t discussed offering an Arctic Circle option package on its production vehicles, it’s easy to imagine some of these items making it into the automaker’s accessory catalog.

Polestar Arctic Circle collection

The addition of the two SUVs for the 2025 model year triples Polestar’s lineup, which previously consisted only of the 2, which is made in China and continues for 2025 but drops its least-expensive and highest-range configurations. The two-row, U.S.-made Polestar 3 swings for efficient performance to further distinguish itself from the three-row Volvo EX90 on which it’s based. And the Polestar 4, which is made in China but set to be made in South Korea later this year, breaks down genre barriers with its unorthodox design.

These Polestar Arctic Circle concepts will make a more formal public debut Feb. 1 at the 2025 F.A.T. Ice Race in Zell am See, Austria. That’s also where Audi is showing its Q6 E-Tron Offroad concept, a more rugged version of the recently-launched Q6 E-Tron electric crossover.

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Ford will return to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with an electric vehicle this year, aiming for another impressive EV showing at the legendary race.

The automaker confirmed Thursday in a press release that it would send a new one-off demonstrator based on the Mustang Mach-E to the 2025 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, scheduled for late June. It follows EV demonstrators based on the F-150 Lightning pickup truck and Transit van that ran in 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Ford revealed no information yet about this Mach-E-based race car but said it will be driven by Romain Dumas, who also drove both of those demonstrators—the Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck and 2023’s SuperVan 4.2. Dumas holds the overall record at Pikes Peak, at 7:57.148, set in the Volkswagen ID.R in 2018.

2018 Volkswagen ID R Pikes Peak race car

The Frenchman wasn’t able to break his own record in 2024, but he did set the fastest time of last year’s hill climb, at 8:53.533, in the wild SuperTruck, which paired a 1,600-hp propulsion system and an elaborate aerodynamics package developing a claimed 6,000 pounds of downforce at 150 mph to help stick the tires to the narrow and twisting road to the 14,115-foot summit.

Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck at 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

The 12.5-mile race route is a public road with a very low speed limit the rest of the year.

EVs have been gaining momentum at Pikes Peak, where they have an advantage over oxygen-breathing internal-combustion engines. The less-dense air at altitude robs power from those engines, but not electric motors.

Closed-course records may not be relevant to the average car buyer, but racing is an important part of car enthusiasm, and helps create a positive image for EVs among the people who view cars as more than just basic transportation. And unlike dedicated electric racing series, Pikes Peak shows that EVs can go up against gasoline cars and win—something Ford is likely hoping to continue doing in 2025.

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