Former Tesla exec joining forces with ex-McLaren and Alpine bosses to build EV Roadster before Tesla does
Published on Aug 13, 2025 at 8:59 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Aug 13, 2025 at 12:04 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Automotive heavyweights from Lotus, McLaren, and Alpine have joined UK electric sports car startup Longbow with plans to build an EV Roadster before Tesla.
Longbow was co-founded by former Tesla engineer Daniel Davey.
The British brand has now welcomed a handful of bigwigs, including former McLaren CEO, Mike Flewitt, former Lotus Europe CEO Dan Balmer, and former head of Alpine, Michael van der Sande.
Longbow now has its sights set on launching a new EV Roadster.
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Longbow is working on an EV Roadster and Speedster
Longbow Motors is a British start-up launched in 2023 by Davey and Mark Tapscott.
Although a new name in the industry, the team at Longbow boasts some seriously impressive credentials and experience.
Now, the brand has welcomed three new top automotive executives into the fold.
And marque is going full steam ahead to beat Tesla to the punch on an EV Roadster.
The company is creating two Featherweight Electric Vehicle (FEVs) models: the Speedster and Roadster.
It plans to put the hand-built, sub-1,000 kg (2,204lb) cars into production in 2027.
Longbow is hoping to introduce the Speedster first, followed by the Roadster and both cars look to be very exciting options.
The Speedster will be rear-wheel drive and promises a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of just 3.5 seconds.
While, the Roadster will have a similar design, but will feature a fixed roof and windshield and has a 0-60mph time one-tenth slower than its EV sibling, due to carrying a little more weight.
The Speedster is set to cost around $110,000, while the Roadster will come with a price tag of $84,000, making both models cheaper than Tesla’s touted EV roadster, which was rumored to cost $250,000.
“Fast, agile, not too heavy, not too complicated and, most importantly, something that puts a smile on your face every day,” Longbow advisor van der Sande said.
“It’s a compelling concept in theory, promising to be totally captivating in reality: an electric sports car for people who love driving.
“Development of a market-defining FEV is by no means a simple task, but Longbow has an exceptional team that knows what it takes.”
Any news on the Tesla Roadster?
Tesla boss Elon Musk initially pledged a new EV Roadster for 2020, with an initial run of 10,000 units.
In October last year, he said production had been pushed to 2025.
However, it’s now 2025 and nothing concrete has been produced as yet.
Musk has made some pretty eyebrow-raising claims about the EV, including a SpaceX package that features ‘10 small rocket cold air thrusters arranged seamlessly around the car’, allowing for dramatic improvements in speed, braking, and cornering.
In a post on X, he said the package would mean the Roadster ‘exceeds all gas sports cars’ and would ‘maybe even fly’.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
