Beefy batteries and electric motors aren’t the best for building a classic, lightweight British sports car, but a new company wants to give it the ol’ college try. It’s called Longbow, and if everything goes according to plan, two “featherweight electric vehicles” called the Speedster and Roadster will hit the UK in 2026.
What exactly constitutes a “featherweight” sports car? According to the company’s press release, the cars will weigh less than 2,200 pounds (or, 1,000 kilograms). That’s still several hundred pounds more than a Lotus Elise, but in a world where a BMW M5 weighs 2.5 tons, it’s an admirable target for something fully electric. And actually, the no-roof Longbow Speedster will target 1,973 lbs (895 kg) when it goes on sale. The Roadster, which ironically isn’t a roadster by definition due to its fixed roof, will be a couple of hundred pounds heavier.
Photo by: Longbow
Photo by: Longbow
The foundation for these EVs will be a lightweight aluminum chassis developed in-house. Compact electric motors and batteries will propel each car to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds. Range is estimated to be 275 miles using the WLTP scale. Starting prices are ₤84,995 for the Speedster and ₤64,995 for the Roadster. That’s approximately $85,000 to $110,000 with current exchange rates, so it won’t be inexpensive. All will be hand-built, with 150 of each model planned for production. It’s unknown if Longbow will offer the car to US buyers.
Details of the powertrain are also unknown. For that matter, details on everything are scarce. At this time, the Speedster and Roadster are still in development. We’ve certainly seen more than a few EV (and non-EV) startups come and go in recent years, but Longbow’s three co-founders are optimistic that a market exists for small, light, electric sports cars.
And they aren’t without experience in the automotive—and particularly the EV—sector. Daniel Davey started at Tesla in its early days and ultimately returned to the company for the Model 3 launch. Mark Tapscott also has Tesla experience along with stints at Lucid and BYD, and before that, he worked his engineering skills on the Lotus Elise. Jenny Keisu brings business and leadership skills to the company, notably as the former CEO of electric boat manufacturer X Shore.
Photo by: Longbow
Longbow Speedster And Roadster
“Amidst the e-mobility revolution, we have lost something important,” said Davey, who serves as Longbow’s CEO. “Many modern ‘sports cars’ tip the scales at 1,500 kilograms and BEVs can reach almost double that. There is a need for a more driver-oriented, featherweight, electric sports car—one that is attainable and accessible, for those who love driving and the places it takes them. That is why we have created Longbow.”
Will Longbow succeed where other startups have failed? We’ll have to wait and see.
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Longbow