Ex-Tesla Execs Are Making A Pair Of New Electric Sports Cars

Did you put a deposit down on a Tesla Roadster a few years ago? Finally given up hope of it ever actually making production? Well, we might have just the company for you – meet Longbow, the newest face in the British automotive industry.

Longbow has debuted itself with two new electric sports cars, and has been set up by execs formerly of Tesla, Lucid and an electric boat manufacturer. Probably the right kind of people to be launching a start-up EV sports car manufacturer, then.

Daniel Davey was key in launching the Tesla Model 3 in Europe before becoming Lucid’s first employee outside of North America, while Mark Tapscott has also taken senior roles at both companies. Tapscott was also involved in developing the Lotus Elise, so there’s some more pedigree for you. Former CEO of X Shore, Jenny Keisu, rounds out the trio of founders.

Next year, both the Speedster and Roadster will go into production. We suspect the latter has been named as a not-so-subtle dig to the car Tesla announced in 2017 and still hasn’t built.

Both cars will use an aluminium chassis, said to be engineered for minimal weight and maximum stiffness. The roofless Speedster has a claimed weight of just 895kg, meanwhile the Roadster tips the scales at 995kg.

Battery and motor info hasn’t been detailed yet, but the Speedster is said to crack 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds with the Roadster just a tenth shy of that. Orders are being taken now – costing £84,995 for the Speedster (of which just 150 will be made) and £64,995 for a Roadster.

Both cars will be built in the UK, and with engineers drafted in with experience at Lotus, Aston Martin, Ariel and of course, Tesla, for some idea of the breadth of talent.

We’ll be watching Longbow with a keen eye. Surely, there’s a game to be had in seeing one of these on your local roads before a new Tesla Roadster.