A little birdy told us that someone had been whistle-blowing at Tesla. Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with anything illegal or immoral per se, but it’s by far the best-kept secret that’s been unveiled. Ex-employees of an American multinational automotive and clean energy company have come clean about their plans to give their ex-employer a run for its money. It’s corporate versus the underdogs. We know time is money, so we wonder who will finish this mighty race first, the big corporate guys or the underdogs?
The best-kept secret that has been unveiled
If you have not guessed it, the American multinational automotive and clean energy company we have been referring to is none other than Tesla. In 2017, the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, unveiled what he referred to as:
“The fastest production car ever made, period.”
This electric car is the Roadster, but an impressively updated version with advanced electric motors. Musk ensured buyers that this version will boast more than 1000 hp of power, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.9 seconds, and a maximum speed of 402 km/h. While the specific new technology used by Tesla will remain a secret, Musk assured that the motors integrated into the new Tesla Roadster will offer “significantly higher performance”.
With not one or two, but three electric motors, the latest Roadster promises some extraordinary results on paper; however, since the announcement in 2017, we have yet to see “the fastest production car ever made.”
The people who plan on giving Musk a run for his money
It’s eight years later, Elon, where’s the Roadster? While many fans are still waiting in anticipation after paying a whopping $250,000 as a reservation, two Tesla ex-employees decided to seize the opportunity. The two electric car enthusiasts, Daniel Davey and fellow Tesla veteran Mark Tapscott, announced they were giving Tesla a run for its money by manufacturing a Roadster before Tesla does.
Along with Jenny Keisu, the former CEO of electric boat maker X Shore, Davey and Tapscott founded their British electric vehicle (EV) startup, Longbow, in 2023. The very first electric car their company manufactured was the Speedster. This EV is a limited-edition £84,995 ($112,000) open-top sports car, described as a “statement of intent.”
“We will deliver a Roadster before Tesla delivers a Roadster. And ours will be lighter and cooler.” – Daniel Davey.
Longbow’s Roadster, a £64,995 ($85,500) production vehicle, will serve as a nod to the infamously delayed Tesla supercar.
Longbow plans on supplying its Roadster much sooner
While many start-up EV manufacturers have tried and failed, Longbow is not as concerned. Davey and Tapscott are backed by their years of experience and know that launching a new car does not always go smoothly. The lack of competition also gives the company a fair advantage.
Unlike its biggest competitors, Longbow will only source its components from outside suppliers. This gives the company more flexibility and improved margins, and takes advantage of an EV supply chain far more developed than when Tesla began building the first Roadster. The supply chain will hopefully be settled nine months before deliveries begin in late 2026.
“A lot of components come from China, where it’s appropriate, especially [battery] cells, right? We will leverage that. But we really want to lean into and support the local supply chain.” – Davey.
As we said, time is money. While the underdogs are getting their ducks in a row, we wonder if Tesla will begin to put their money where their mouth is. This may seem a little biased, but just this once, we hope the little guy will end up on top. Hopefully, it will prevent other mega companies from giving empty promises to their loyal customers.
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