London-based automotive startup Longbow Motorcar Co., Ltd. says it is creating a new category of car with its unveiling today of the “world’s first” FEVs (featherweight electric vehicles). Through its first two models, the hand-built Speedster and Roadster, the company will offer its unique take on the British tradition of lightweight sportscars focusing on real-road performance and an “unparalleled” driving experience.

Under the motto “Celeritas Levitas,” or “the speed of lightness,” the company pitches the two models as the spiritual successors of British icons like the Lotus Elise and Jaguar E-Type with a focus on beauty, lightweight construction, “impeccable” engineering, and meticulous hand finishing. Sharing a new platform and all-electric drivetrain, the company promises that both cars will have a mass under 995 kg (2194 lb).

“Amidst the e-mobility revolution, we have lost something important,” explained Daniel Davey, Co-Founder and CEO at Longbow. “Many modern ‘sportscars’ tip the scales at 1500 kg, 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.”

Longbow’s three cofounders—Davey, Mark Tapscott, and Jenny Keisu—are veterans of innovative companies and projects across the automotive, technology, and finance sectors. The company is the realization of two years of planning and preparation for its founders. Since first embarking on their journey in 2023, the trio have expanded the team and made significant progress.

Davey started his career at Tesla in 2010 in Palo Alto, CA before launching other Silicon Valley companies and returning to Tesla to launch the Model 3. He also was the first employee at Lucid Motors outside of North America, launching the new automaker’s EMEA business, growing it from 0 to 250 people across five countries.

Tapscott has over two decades of experience in the automotive industry spanning key roles at Tesla, Lucid Motors, and BYD, driving new market entries and product launches. He will leverage his engineering background and expertise in lightweight sports car design and performance, having spent his early career developing Lotus Elise and GT race cars, often racing at Brands Hatch, his favorite circuit.

Keisu previously served as CEO of X Shore, pioneering electric transformation in the boating industry and taking the company from concept to market leader with several models and a presence on three continents. At Longbow, she is leading operations and manufacturing.

All Longbow models are designed, engineered, and hand-built in the UK. With some of the world’s best high-performance component suppliers, and many teams from Formula 1, Formula E, and performance car companies nearby, the company will have access to the UK’s world-class engineering capabilities for powertrain development, system integration, NVH, and chassis dynamics. The company benefits from the lightweighting and high-performance expertise of its engineering team, calling upon decades of experience in road and motorsport including Formula E, Lotus, Aston Martin, and Ariel.

“There are only a few places in the world where you can hand build a sportscar,” said Tapscott. “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.”

According to the company, the development of the Speedster and Roadster has pursued a philosophy of “simplify, focus on beauty and engagement, then relentlessly add lightness, until all that remains is sheer automotive intoxication.” Both models are said to be “striking, light, nimble, balanced, and engineered for an unparalleled driving experience.”

Their exterior design blends nostalgia and the interior celebrates handcrafted elements for driving “like it used to feel.” Their aluminum chassis is engineered for minimal weight and maximum stiffness, the lightweight platform meaning that lighter and more compact motors and batteries can be specified, enabling the world’s first “proper” all-electric sportscar with an exciting power-to-weight ratio.

The 895-kg (1973-lb) Speedster accelerates from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 3.5 s, with a WLTP range of 275 mi (443 km) and a starting price of ₤84,995 including VAT. The closed-cockpit 995-kg Roadster will succeed the Speedster, reach 62 mph in 3.6 s, have a WLTP range of 280 mi (451 km), and start at ₤64,995 including VAT.

Reservations are open now for the limited-edition vehicles at longbowmotors.com, with deliveries set to begin in 2026. Only 150 hand-built Speedsters are to be produced. Customers can also reserve the Luminary 1st Edition and Autograph Edition models, limited to 10 and 25 examples, respectively. Roadster customers have the option of securing one of 50 Luminary 1st Edition models or 100 Autograph Edition examples.