Electric cars are often synonymous with heavy weight, but startup Longbow wants to change that. Founded by former Tesla and Polestar executives, it presents two ultra-light sports cars, the Speedster and the Roadster. With decent performance and a price well below In the world of electric hypercars, these models could appeal to pure driving enthusiasts.
In the world of electric cars, innovation often focuses on extreme performance. The Rimac Nevera, with its 1,914 horsepower and 0 to 100 km/h in 1.81 seconds, costs more than 2 million euros. The Porsche Mission X, still in prototype form, promises equally impressive figures. But these vehicles remain inaccessible for the majority of enthusiasts. This is where Longbow wants to stand out, by focusing on lightness and agility rather than the race for power.
Longbow, a British startup founded by former executives of Tesla, Polestar, and Lucid, wants to resurrect the spirit of the Lotus Elise and Jaguar E-Type with much more accessible electric cars. The Speedster, an open-top two-seater, boasts a featherweight of 895 kg and a 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. Its big sister, the Roadster, 100 kg heavier, achieves the same feat in 3.6 seconds. For comparison, a Porsche Taycan Turbo S weighs nearly 2.3 tonnes and costs more than 200,000 euros.
Longbow focuses on simplicity to make its sports cars accessible
Unlike hypercars packed with complex technology, the Speedster and Roadster focus on simplicity. Their aluminum chassis is designed to be lightweight and durable, and their parts are mostly sourced from existing suppliers. Under the hood, there is a 240 kW (326 hp) motor, far from the excessive power of electric supercars, but enough to guarantee a great driving experience. All this with an estimated range of 275 miles (around 440 km) for the Speedster. The price is another major argument. The Speedster will be offered at around €99,000, and the Roadster at €76,000. Amounts much more affordable than the millions of euros asked for a Rimac Nevera or even the six-figure prices of a Porsche Taycan or Maserati GranTurismo Folgore. Longbow plans a first production limited to 150 units in 2026, before moving to series production. It remains to be seen whether this approach will appeal to fans of lightweight cars, as the automotive industry tends towards ever larger vehicles.
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