LONGBOW, the first-ever British electric sportscar manufacturer, is creating a new category that re-energises an iconic automotive archetype with the official unveiling of the world's first Featherweight Electric Vehicle.

Through its first two models, a Speedster and Roadster, Longbow offers a special take on the rich British tradition of lightweight sportscars, focusing on real-road performance with an unparalleled driving experience.

Longbow's motto ‘Celeritas Levitas' or ‘the speed of lightness' is a rallying cry for enthusiasts.

Its Speedster and Roadster are 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 bespoke platform and all-electric drivetrain, both cars will be sub-995kg, establishing an all-new vehicle category, the Featherweight Electric Vehicle (FEV).

Longbow's trio of founders are veterans of some of the most exciting projects from across the automotive, technology, and finance sectors.

Daniel Davey and Mark Tapscott have been at the forefront of the electric vehicle industry since its inception with the original Tesla Roadster - a vehicle that shifted the entire automotive industry.

They have also held senior positions with Lucid Motors and BYD, helping to guide challenger brands to maturity and commercial success.

Jenny Keisu rounds out the trio with vast commercial and investment experience. She is a pioneer in the electric marine industry - through her previous role as CEO of X Shore - and leverages a career that spans successful startup and scaleup leadership, private equity, business law, and strategic investment.

Development of the Longbow Speedster and Roadster has pursued a singular philosophy - "simplify, focus on beauty and engagement, then relentlessly add lightness, until all that remains is sheer automotive intoxication".

Antithetical to conventional notions of what a battery electric vehicle can be, Speedster and Roadster are striking, light, nimble, balanced, and engineered for an "unparalleled driving experience".

Their exterior design reflects a blend of nostalgia and timeless allure while the interior celebrates handcrafted elements. It represents driving of old with craftsmanship that does not distract or detract from the immediate experience.

Both use a bespoke Longbow aluminium chassis that is engineered for minimal weight and maximum stiffness.

A lightweight vehicle also means lighter and more compact motors and batteries, enabling the world's first ‘proper' all-electric sportscar for the modern enthusiast.

Speedster offers an open-topped experience like no other, weighing just 895kg and sprinting to 62mph in 3.5 seconds.

It has a range of 275 miles and a starting price of â¤84,995.

Reservations for the Speedster are available now, with only 150 hand-built examples to be produced. Customers can also reserve the Luminary 1Edition and Autograph Edition models, limited to 10 and 25 examples respectively.

The closed cockpit Roadster will succeed Speedster. At just 995kg it will reach 62mph in 3.6 seconds.

The starting price for the Roadster is â¤64,995 and reservations are available now, with the option of securing one of 50 Luminary 1Edition models or 100 Autograph Edition examples.

All Longbow models are designed, engineered, and will be hand built in the UK. As such, Longbow will have access to world-class engineering capabilities for powertrain development, system integration, NVH, and chassis dynamics. It will also have some of the world's best high-performance component suppliers on its doorstep, with many Formula 1 and Formula E teams nearby, as well as performance car companies.

Benefitting from the competitive global supply chain for industry-proven electric vehicle components, Longbow will feature a state-of-the-art powertrain package that optimises weight, performance, efficiency, and range.

Daniel Davey, co-founder and CEO at Longbow, said:"Amidst the e-mobility revolution, we have lost something important. Many modern ‘sportscars' tip the scales at 1,500kg 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."

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, Ariel, and Tesla.