- New British automotive firm Longbow has unveiled a duo of ultra-lightweight electric sports cars, which it says creates a new segment within the EV industry.
- Rather than just BEVs, Longbow is classifying the new cars as FEVs – ‘Featherweight’ Electric Vehicles, which tip the scales below the 995kg mark.
- Longbow’s trio of founders carry experience from several significant players in the EV space, including Lucid Motors, Tesla, and BYD.
British sports cars return in the electric era
The founders of the new brand include Daniel Davey, Jenny Keisu, and Mark Tapscott. Amongst their automotive and startup experience, Davey played a key part in both the original Tesla Roadster and the launch of the Model 3 within Europe. Tapscott headed up the launch of the Tesla brand into the UK and the UAE, whilst Keisu carries experience across a number of startups, and is also a pioneer within the electrified marine industry, through her previous CEO role at X Shore.
While EVs like the MG Cyberster have already attempted to embody the classic British sports car in electrified form, Longbow will set itself apart with all design, engineering, and production taking place within the UK – and with the aim to be one of the lightest electric sports cars available. The brand has also noted its UK base giving it ‘world-class’ access to the motorsport community, with a wide range of Formula 1 and Formula E teams effectively being on its doorstep. Its Longbow range will also remain much more exclusive than other electric sports cars, in terms of production numbers.
The range consists of two models, the hardtop ‘Roadster’ and the open-topped ‘Speedster’. Longbow says both cars are the ‘spiritual successors’ to classic sports cars like the Jaguar E-Type and Lotus Elise. The Speedster, which is open for reservations now and will only have 150 examples built, will start at £84,995, with a 0-62mph sprint time of just 3.5 seconds. Its 895kg weight, which is remarkably light for an electric vehicle, also helps it pack a relatively impressive driving range of 275 miles. Later this year, Longbow will open order books for the Roadster, which will start at a lower £64,995.
Daniel Davey, Co-Founder and CEO at Longbow, commented:
“Amidst the e-mobility revolution, we have lost something important. Many modern ‘sportscars’ tip the scales at 1,500kg and BEVs can reach almost double that. There is a need for a more driver-oriented, featherweight, electric sportscar – one that is attainable and accessible, for those who love driving and the places it takes them. That is why we have created Longbow. Our first two cars, Speedster and Roadster embody everything a modern driver’s car should be: agile, balanced, electric, and exhilarating. We are reviving an icon, the lightweight British sportscar.”
Mark Tapscott, Co-Founder of Longbow, added:
“There are only a few places in the world where you can hand build a sportscar. Here in the UK, British engineering and automotive craftsmanship have a long history of developing lightweight sportscars with great commercial and competitive success. Longbow is the next chapter in that story, harnessing those same ideas to create the greatest driver’s cars of the modern era.”
