This lightweight electric Sports Car had people stopping in their tracks at CES and is threatening to turn even the most ferocious petrolheads.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is usually where we see bigger screens, smarter gadgets and ever-more complicated technology. But tucked away amongst the Las Vegas hustle and bustle this year I discovered something refreshingly simple: a lightweight, driver-focused electric sports car that reminded everyone why we fell in love with cars in the first place.
Enter Longbow Motors.
As we power walked around the Vegas Convention Centre, we stumbled across a double treat, as Longbow had joined forces on the Donut Labs stage to showcase their stunning Speedster — an open-top roadster that isn’t trying to be a luxury lounge, a rolling tablet, or a 2.5-tonne tech demo. Instead, it’s chasing something far more radical in today’s EV market: lightness, engagement, and genuine driver enjoyment.
The Longbow Speedster: Key Stats That Actually Matter
Let’s start with the numbers — because these ones genuinely stop you in your tracks:
- 0–60 mph in 3.5 seconds
- Over 240 miles of range
- Around 900 kg total weight
- Up to 900 horsepower
- Estimated price: £65,000–£85,000 (Will bring you an update as soon as I have it!)
That last point is crucial. This isn’t hypercar pricing, and it’s not aimed at a tiny elite. Longbow’s ambition is to make electric sports cars feel attainable again — not just aspirational.
Speed Through Lightness, Not Excess
Longbow’s philosophy can be summed up in three words: speed through lightness.
While much of the EV industry has chased performance by adding larger batteries, more motors and more weight, Longbow has gone the opposite way. The result is a car with an extraordinary power-to-weight ratio — roughly 1:1 horsepower to kilograms — something usually reserved for cars costing several times more.
The Speedster uses advanced in-wheel motor technology, via the clever people at Donut Labs, with one motor per wheel, delivering immense performance while keeping the chassis compact and light. Batteries are integrated low and centrally within the structure, helping achieve a low centre of gravity and excellent traction without the bulk we’ve come to expect from electric cars.
Why Electric Sports Cars Are Actually Harder to Build
One of the most interesting insights from Longbow’s co-founder at CES was this: electric sports cars are harder to engineer than petrol ones.
With an internal combustion engine, expectations are well understood — engine noise, gear changes, mechanical feedback. With EVs, those reference points disappear. Engineers have to work harder on fundamentals like weight distribution, seating position, chassis balance and driver feedback to make the experience feel special.
Longbow’s response is a deeply considered layout:
- Batteries positioned to optimise balance
- A very low seating position
- A focus on physics before theatrics
And yet, that doesn’t mean the theatre is gone entirely.
Making an EV Feel Like a Sports Car Again
One of the biggest criticisms of modern EVs is that they can feel… appliance-like. Silent, efficient, impressive but emotionally flat.
Longbow is actively pushing back against that idea.
To make the Speedster more engaging, the team has introduced what they describe as “theatre”. Without giving too much away at CES (the interior is still partially under wraps), they confirmed features designed purely to enhance driver involvement — including a surprising nod to traditional sports cars that will make enthusiasts smile.
The goal isn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It’s about creating feedback, interaction and a sense of occasion every time you drive.
No Hype Drives, No Gimmicks — Just Delivery
In an industry full of renders, promises and endless concept cars, Longbow is taking a deliberately different approach.
At CES, it was clear: Longbow are not letting people drive the car until it’s ready to be experienced properly. No rushed demo laps. No over-promising. Just a finished product, delivered at the right time, and in the right conditions.
Keep this to yourself, but a little bird told via the old grapevine that it will be available to lease via our friends at Selectcarleasing.com – More on that what we get full confirmation.
Why Longbow Matters for the Future of EVs
Longbow isn’t just interesting because it’s fast or lightweight. It challenges a growing assumption in the EV world that electric cars must be bigger, heavier and more complex with every generation.
Instead, Longbow is asking a simple question:
What if electric cars could be lighter, simpler and more fun?
If the Speedster delivers on what we saw at CES, it could mark a turning point…not just for electric sports cars, but for how we think about EV design more broadly.
The Sustainable Dad Take
From a Sustainable Dad perspective, Longbow hits a sweet spot. Efficiency through lightness is good for performance, good for energy use, and good for the wider conversation around sustainability. You don’t need excess to create excitement — you need smart engineering and clear priorities.
CES is often about the future. This time, one of the most exciting glimpses of it came in the form of a small, open-top electric roadster that simply wants to be driven.
And honestly? That’s exactly what the EV space needs more of. That, and more small city cars!
FAQs: Longbow Motors & the Speedster
Is the Longbow Speedster fully electric?
Yes. The Speedster is a fully electric, open-top sports car.
What is the range of the Longbow Speedster?
Longbow is targeting over 240 miles of range.
How fast is the Longbow Speedster?
It can accelerate from 0–60 mph in around 3.5 seconds.
How much does the Longbow Speedster weigh?
Approximately 900 kg, which is exceptionally light for an EV.
When will people be able to drive it?
Customer and media drives are planned once conditions are right, with further reveals expected later in the year. I’ll be sure to keep you posted.
