British Carmaker to Launch Electric Sports Car Production in Warwickshire

British carmaker Longbow has announced plans to begin production of its hand-built electric sports car, the Speedster, at Mira Tech Park in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, starting next year. The venture is supported by a £3 million investment from the government's West Midlands Supplier Readiness and Transformation fund, intended to accelerate the UK's transition to electric vehicle manufacturing.

West Midlands mayor Richard Parker stated that the project, which will be followed by Longbow's Roadster model, is expected to generate more than 200 skilled jobs in the region. "We've been building cars here in West Midlands for 130 years, so what better location for a new generation of carmakers like Longbow," Parker said. "They know this industry inside out and are investing here because this is quite simply the best place in the UK to build a car."

Daniel Davey, Longbow's co-chief executive officer, emphasized the region's suitability for manufacturing the specialized vehicles. "It's not just the supply chain; you've got the talent here and the know-how," Davey noted. "You cannot build this car anywhere else in the world. And if you did, you would be importing UK components to it." He elaborated that the company seeks low-volume, high-quality, low-cost, and lightweight components, which are available locally.

The Speedster, which has a global waiting list of interested buyers, is priced at approximately £85,000. The development of the car from concept to vehicle took less than two years, facilitated by regional expertise, including designers from Leamington Spa and engineers from across the West Midlands. Longbow indicated that the UK has a strong capability in building lightweight sports cars.

The £3 million investment from the West Midlands Supplier Readiness and Transformation fund, part of a larger £50 million government initiative, aims to strengthen the automotive supply chain and industry. Longbow plans to match this funding and aims to manufacture over 10,000 cars annually.

Industry expert Professor David Bailey commented on the venture, comparing it to early efforts by companies like Tesla to develop lightweight, high-performance electric sports cars. "So I think it's great; it shows we have great research and development skills," Bailey said. "We can probably compete, I think, in terms of low-volume, high-margin cars, but more broadly we need to be doing a lot more to support the auto industry in the region and enable it to continue growing."