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Longbow Speedster EV Humiliates Tesla’s Roadster by Just Existing: Built in Six Months for Pure Driving Joy

The Longbow Speedster, a featherweight electric roadster from a British startup, has humiliated the long-delayed Tesla Roadster by simply existing and moving from concept to a working prototype in just six months. This minimalist, open-top EV weighs a mere 895 kg (1,973 lbs), embodying a design philosophy of “simplify and add lightness” that directly contrasts the tech-heavy, vaporware approach of Tesla’s perpetually delayed supercar. Longbow’s focus is on pure driving joy and agility over gadget overload, proving that electric sports cars can still thrill.

The Anti-Tesla Success Story

Longbow, founded by former Tesla and Lucid engineers, achieved a rapid development cycle that shames the decade-long delay of the Tesla Roadster.

Featherweight Design: The Speedster is the world’s first “Featherweight Electric Vehicle” (FEV). Its ultra-light weight of 895 kg (roughly half a Taycan) is crucial, as it allows for a smaller battery, which in turn reduces weight and increases agility.
Rapid Development: Longbow moved from concept sketch to a dynamic prototype in just six months, demonstrating a “Speed of Lightness” philosophy. Tesla, by contrast, first unveiled the Roadster in 2017 and has repeatedly delayed its production launch, with the target now likely 2026 or 2027.
Driving Purity: The car is designed as a “spiritual successor” to icons like the Lotus Elise and Jaguar E-Type, prioritizing an analog, connected driving experience. The open cockpit, often without a windscreen, ensures the driver is “punched in the face” by the air, emphasizing raw sensation.

Performance and Availability

The Longbow Speedster offers competitive performance and a high degree of exclusivity.

Performance: Its single rear-mounted electric motor (up to 322 hp) propels the Speedster from 0–62 mph in 3.5 seconds.
Range: It boasts a claimed WLTP range of 275 miles.
Exclusivity and Price: Only 150 units of the Speedster will be hand-built in the UK.
- Speedster (Open-top): Starts at £84,995 (approx. $111,700).
- Roadster (Closed-roof): Will follow, starting at £64,995 (approx. $85,000).
Advisory Board: Longbow has serious industry backing, with former CEOs from McLaren, Lotus, and Alpine on its advisory board.

Final Thoughts

The Longbow Speedster EV is a compelling, functional reality that challenges the prevailing narrative of what an electric performance car must be. By prioritizing lightweight engineering over massive batteries and digital overload, the British startup has carved out a niche that caters to the driving purist. The fact that they achieved a running prototype in a fraction of the time it has taken Tesla to materialize the next-gen Roadster is not just a commercial victory; it’s a symbolic one, proving that innovation in the EV space doesn’t need to be loud or hyper-futuristic to be genuinely thrilling.

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