Longbow Debuts First Speedster Prototype: A New British Lightweight EV

Remember the British startup Longbow Motors and its "lightweight" Speedster electric sports car? We first caught wind of the project earlier this year, and now, a mere six months later, the company is already showcasing a fully driving prototype.

That's a remarkably fast turnaround in the automotive world. Most manufacturers need roughly 18 months to build a working prototype from an initial design sketch—or so we're told. It's an even more impressive feat for a company that was only founded in 2023.

But the founders, Daniel Davey and Mark Tapscott, are no strangers to the industry, bringing a wealth of experience from their time at major players like Polestar, Lucid, Uber, and BYD.

The Speedster is the first of two planned "lightweight electric machines" from Longbow (their wording, not ours). By utilizing an aluminum chassis, a compact electric motor, and a "module-to-chassis" battery technology, they've managed to keep the weight down to a mere 895 kg (1,973 lbs).

Performance claims are equally bold, with Longbow quoting a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint in 3.5 seconds and a driving range of 443 km (275 miles). Pricing for the limited run will start north of €100,000. The entire first year's production is reportedly already spoken for, with deliveries scheduled to begin next year.

A hard-top Roadster version will follow, tipping the scales at roughly 100 kg more—a small trade-off for the ability to comfortably drive in typical British weather. More importantly, the Roadster is expected to carry a starting price of around €76,500, making it the more accessible option.

Longbow positions this duo as spiritual successors to iconic British roadsters like the Lotus Elise and Jaguar E-Type. It looks like the MG Cyberster might have some serious competition on its hands.