CES 2026: Longbow Motors reveals off its Speedster EV with Donut Lab's in-wheel motors

As an unabashed fan of electrical autos, even I’ve to confess that the majority of them are fairly boring. Their clean, quiet and calm demeanors do not provide a lot in the way in which of intrinsic persona, which has led to many manufacturers slapping on outré designs and pretend engine sounds to try to dial up the thrill.

To that finish, a pair of choices coming quickly from UK-based EV startup Longbow Motors seems to be to ship precisely that. The Speedster and Roadster are high-performance electrical machines constructed utilizing superior in-wheel motors from Donut Labs. These motors and a bespoke design allow an astonishing curb weight of simply 2,200 kilos.

For comparability’s sake, that is over 100 kilos lower than a Mazda Miata, the present king of light-weight roadsters. Longbow introduced simply the Speedster to CES 2026, displaying it on the present ground on the Donut Lab sales space. Donut is a derivative of Verge Bikes, which was the debut platform for the corporate’s hub-less electrical motor, creating a singular, Tron-style aesthetic.

However the expertise is about much more than creating physics-defying bikes. Donut Lab is increasing its motors to all types of platforms, from scooters to heavy-duty vehicles, making a platform for straightforward adoption by electrified startups.

Of all these platforms, although, Longbow’s implementation is essentially the most compelling I’ve seen. The attraction begins with the fashion. Co-founders Daniel Davey and Mark Tapscott (who, with Jenny Keisu, based Longbow after stints at Tesla and Lucid) advised me they wished to supply a basic but additionally trendy and compelling look. The roofless Speedster has an edge over its glass-topped Roadster when it comes to visible simplicity, however an entire lack of any safety from the weather — even a token windscreen — will make it viable just for essentially the most dedicated of open-air fanatics.

Uncovered or protected, you may end up located in an especially spartan inside. Issues just like the gauge cluster and first controls had been coated, set to be revealed later, so I am unable to say for positive precisely what the Longbow seems to be like on the within. However it was designed to be primary and minimal to an excessive, an abject rejection of the remainder of the touchscreen-laden machines on the highway at this time.

There’s one seemingly pointless piece of kit within the inside, although, and that is a shift knob. EVs, in fact, hardly ever have transmissions, so there is no outright have to shift. The aim of that lever can be a thriller for now, as neither Davey nor Tapscott would affirm its perform, however it appears secure to count on some form of simulated gearshift motion, a la the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

The Longbow machines do not simply lack a transmission, they lack a conventional drivetrain structure in any respect. The direct-drive Donut Lab motors are located proper contained in the wheel, liberating up house contained in the car’s chassis and serving to it to take care of its pert dimensions.

In addition they present a particular look, filling up the wheels as they do. There’s a draw back to this association, that being the heft of those motors hanging on the outer edges of the car. The suspension, then, has to work a bit more durable. However co-founder Mark Tapscott advised me that the positives outweigh the negatives, and that the dealing with advantages of getting a number of motors alone are price it.

To maintain the remainder of the Longbow’s weight centralized, the automotive makes use of a battery pack that runs largely alongside the middle of the machine, stacked vertically slightly than unfold all through the ground. This retains the mass centralized within the car whereas additionally enabling the sort of ultra-low seating you need in a machine like this.

It seems to be prefer it’ll be fairly a enjoyable bundle to drive, and whereas precise energy output from these Donut Lab motors hasn’t been confirmed but, the Speedster is claimed to dash to 60 mph in simply 3.5 seconds. That is supercar-like efficiency, however sadly, that efficiency will not come low-cost.

The Speedster begins at ₤84,995, or simply beneath $100,000 by present conversion charges. The Roadster is a good bit extra attainable at ₤64,995, or about $75,000. Nonetheless, given the splendidly chaotic state of worldwide tariffs proper now, count on the precise pricing right here to be considerably larger once they go into manufacturing later this 12 months. Reservations are open now on the corporate’s website.

That is a bit too wealthy for my blood, sadly, however for those who’ve bought the price range, a left-hand drive model will probably be out there. And sure, it will be totally road-legal within the U.S.