Lightweight Revolution: Longbow Speedster & Roadster Aim to Reinvent the Lightweight British Sports Car
By Team Dailyrevs March 17, 2025
For decades, Britain’s sports car heritage has been synonymous with minimalism, raw driver engagement, and featherweight design. Yet, as the world shifts towards electric mobility, that philosophy has faced a massive hurdle: batteries are heavy. Enter Longbow, a startup led by ex-Tesla, Lucid, and BYD veterans aiming to prove that the electric age can still honor the "less is more" mantra.
Meet the Longbow Speedster and Longbow Roadster – two hand-built, all-electric sports cars designed to redefine the featherweight segment. With weights kept below the 1,000 kg (2,205 lbs) mark, these machines dare to stand where few EVs tread.
A Featherweight Challenge
In a world where even modern "sports cars" routinely exceed 1,500 kg, and electric SUVs tip the scales at twice that, Longbow's approach feels refreshingly rebellious. Both models fall under Longbow’s newly coined Featherweight Electric Vehicle (FEV) category, targeting those who crave spirited driving without the heft.
While details remain scarce, here’s what we know so far:
| Specification | Longbow Speedster | Longbow Roadster |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Type | Open-top Speedster | Fixed-roof Coupe (ironically called Roadster) |
| Weight | 895 kg (1,973 lbs) | 995 kg (2,194 lbs) |
| 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) | 3.5 seconds | 3.6 seconds |
| Range (WLTP) | ~275 miles | ~275 miles |
| Chassis | In-house developed lightweight aluminum | In-house developed lightweight aluminum |
| Production Volume | 150 units + limited special editions | 150 units + limited special editions |
| Starting Price (UK) | £84,995 (~$110,000) | £64,995 (~$85,000) |
| Release Timeline | Expected 2026 | Expected 2026 |
Want to explore more angles of the Longbow Speedster & Roadster? Click Here!
Reimagining British Motoring Purity
At a glance, both cars harken back to the spirit of icons like the Lotus Elise—compact, playful, and focused. While the front-end design feels somewhat EV-generic, the Speedster’s profile and the Roadster’s rear deliver a touch of personality missing from many modern electrics.
What Longbow isn’t sharing—at least yet—is just as intriguing. No horsepower figures, no battery capacities, and no interior shots. Is this vaporware or stealthy confidence? Given the founders’ résumés, including key roles in the launch of the original Tesla Roadster and Lucid Motors' engineering programs, there's reason to believe they’re quietly building something special.
Chasing Driving Purity
Daniel Davey, Longbow's CEO and former Tesla alum, sums up the ethos:
“Amidst the e-mobility revolution, we have lost something important. 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."
Can Longbow succeed where others have faltered? The pricing positions them in premium territory, but not out of reach for enthusiasts looking for an electric sports car that delivers purity over excess.
The Verdict?
It’s bold. It’s niche. And if Longbow pulls it off, the Speedster and Roadster could stand as paragons of how to do electric sports cars right. Lightweight British sports cars may have just found their 21st-century torchbearer.https://www.dailyrevs.com/makes/Longbow