Longbow Speedster is an electric sports car weighing only 895 kg

British start-up Longbow Motors wants to electrify the sports car segment with its Roadster and Speedster models. Both weigh under 1,000 kg, cost €100,000 or less, and will be available for sale as early as 2026. So where’s the catch?

British industrial estates and car graveyards are lined with failed sports car projects from hopeful manufacturers that fold once they reach the stage of having to produce the cars, sell them at a reasonable price, and provide customer service afterward.

You might estimate that Longbow Motors will face the same fate, but the start-up’s founders do have experience launching a car company—and they have tried to take a different route than most.

Speedster and Roadster

Let’s begin with the product. The Longbow Speedster is a roofless two-seater electric sports car that blends the Mazda MX-5, Pininfarina B95, and the MG Cyberster.

It weighs just 895 kg, and thanks to a 240 kW (320 hp) motor, it can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 3.5 seconds. Only 150 will be made starting in 2026.

If you live in Northern Europe and prefer to stay dry most of the year, Longbow also has the Roadster. With the addition of a roof, the weight climbs to a still, very nimble 995 kg, which adds a tenth to the sprint time. It does eke out a bit more range out of its battery (of unknown size): 280 miles (451 km), compared to the Speedster’s 275 miles (442 km).

No competition

Pricing? From £84,995 (€101,000) for the limited-run Speedster, while the Roadster is more affordable at £64,995 (€77,200). Comparing them is difficult, as there’s no real alternative out there.

Only MG has an electric roadster, but the Cyberster weighs around twice as much. Porsche is working on its electric successor to the 718 Cayman/Boxster, but it has been delayed and faces an uncertain market.

Experienced founders, but no factory yet

So, how will Longbow avoid going under before it fully launches? The founders (Jenny Keisn, Daniel Davey, and Mark Tapscott) have a history with Lotus, Tesla, Lucid, Polestar, and other Chinese manufacturers, launching new EV brands in different markets.

In an interview with TopGear, they promised that “all the underlying design, engineering, manufacturing, and validation” is already complete. The Longbow models use off-the-shelf parts (mostly from China) for their motors, batteries, interior, and even lighting. Many components can be sourced affordably from multiple suppliers, as the powertrain’s actual performance is reasonable in EV terms.

The only thing that remains is to find a production location, although Longbow says that the layout of the factory has already been thought out. But with no facility built out yet, a production launch for 2026 still seems ambitious. Let’s see if they can buck the trend.