Wilier releases e-bike version of flagship Filante

Building on the success of its award-winning Cento10 electric bike, Wilier has created a version based on the Filante SLR lightweight aero bike used by the Astana Qazaqstan pro team, which the Italian company claims has the lightest pedal assist system in the world. 

Aimed at riders who want an electric road bike that mimics the traditional version as closely as possible, in terms of looks, the Filante Hybrid certainly appears to place it among the best electric road bikes, rivalling the likes of the Colnago E64 and Bianchi Aria E-Road for how closely it resembles its analogue relation.

Except for the one required to charge the battery, there are no holes in the monocoque carbon frame, with all the cables for the electric system routed internally along with the derailleur cables and brake hoses. This level of detail extends to a novel rear thru-axle that can be removed quickly and easily without the need to disconnect any cables to the rear hub motor. The integrated monocoque carbon handlebars share the Filante SLR's aerodynamic design and the interface for the pedal assist is built into the stem, rather than the top tube as found in many competitors.

The one area where it differs to, say, the Bianchi Aria is that the Filante Hybrid does not match the geometry of the Filante SLR, coming in the more relaxed shapes of Wilier’s endurance range. But certainly, no one is going to ride by you and automatically think you are using an electric bike. Though of course, when you ease past them as the road hits a 30-per cent gradient, they may think again.

'Lightest pedal assist in the world'

The Filante hybrid has a small but notable weight advantage, Wilier claiming the new Mahle X20 motor gives it the lightest pedal assist system in the world, adding an extra 3.5kg for the complete system compared to the 3.6kg of the X35 e-bike motors used on the Bianchi Aria E-Road and Cannondale SuperSix Evo Neo. This, Wilier claims, is without any reported let up in performance, supplying the same 250 watts of power assist delivering up to 60nm of torque.

Wilier did not release overall weights for the bike but the Bianchi Aria E-Road and Colnago E64 report in at around 12kg. Wilier’s previous performance road e-bike, the Cento10 Hybrid, comes in at 11.7kg, and Wilier lists a lighter weight (and better aerodynamics) among the factors that contribute to the Filante’s "overall improvement in energy savings of practically eight per cent" compared to the Cento10.

Power sensor in bottom bracket 

As well as looks, Wilier also hopes to deliver a more traditional feel to the rider. The Filante Hybrid comes with a sensor in the bottom bracket that measures the power being produced through the pedals and automatically adjusts the assistance from the motor to suit. This is designed to make the pedalling experience smoother, eliminating any jerks or sudden acceleration, and also to optimise battery consumption.

With a 250wh battery integrated into the downtube, an additional bottle-shaped battery can be mounted on the seatpost to add another 185wh. The Filante Hybrid also comes with a Pulsar One computer as standard. 

Starting at £7,736 / $10,082 / €9,300 for a Shimano Ultegra Di2-equipped version, the top-of-the-range offering costs £10,399 / $13,552 / €12,500 and comes with SRAM Red eTap AXS and Wilier’s HY-SLR42KC carbon wheelset.