• High-profile industry leaders from Lotus, McLaren and Alpine join Longbow as they continue their path towards manufacturing
• Mike Flewitt, Michael van der Sande, and Dan Balmer to lead board of advisors
• Longbow, the pioneering British electric sportscar manufacturer, will offer hand-built, sub-1000kg sportscars: Speedster and Roadster
• For more information, visit longbowmotors.com
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12 August 2025 – Longbow, the pioneering British electric sportscar manufacturer, has further strengthened its ranks with three former heavyweight automotive CEOs. Dan Balmer, Mike Flewitt, and Michael van der Sande. The three will lead a board of world-class advisors as Longbow accelerates towards manufacturing of its driver-obsessed Featherweight Electric Vehicles (FEVs), the Speedster and Roadster.

Mike Flewitt, Advisor at Longbow, commented: “British engineering has long been a point of national pride, but there’s a case to be made that we’ve fallen behind. Longbow represents a return to form, a novel idea with rigorous execution and a team with experience to make it happen. It’s an opportunity to be part of British automotive history, creating iconic sportscars that follow a timeless recipe, albeit with an electric twist.”

Michael van der Sande, Advisor at Longbow, commented: “Fast, agile, not too heavy, not too complicated and, most importantly, something that puts a smile on your face every day. It’s a compelling concept in theory, promising to be totally captivating in reality: an electric sportscar 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.”

Dan Balmer, Advisor at Longbow, commented: “Longbow’s motto ‘Speed of Lightness’ is not just about the sportscars, it’s also about an agile team, optimised product, and accelerated development – lessons the Longbow team learned at some of the world’s most successful EV startups. I am thrilled to be advising Longbow, working with founders Daniel, Mark and Jenny to bring their FEV vision to life.”

Senior Advisors onboard
Longbow’s appointment of Dan Balmer, Mike Flewitt and Michael van der Sande continues momentum for the brand towards manufacturing its featherweight electric sportscars in the UK, starting in 2026. Their collective experience spans critical leadership roles across Lotus, McLaren, Aston Martin, Tesla and Lucid, offering an additional depth of expertise. The advisory board will help provide invaluable strategic insight as the Longbow leadership team continues on its route to production and beyond.

Flewitt’s expertise in manufacturing and scaling production, particularly from his time at McLaren Automotive, will bolster Longbow as it prepares to fulfil demand for its hand-built British sportscars.

Launching and growing automotive brands has long been a strength of van der Sande, having led Tesla’s European launch, Alpine’s global relaunch, and Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations’s exponential global growth.

Balmer’s background in engineering, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and commercial strategy spans iconic brands such as Aston Martin and Lotus; he will help Longbow to further hone its brand identity and go-to-market activities.

The promising road ahead
Longbow offers a unique take on the rich British tradition of lightweight sportscars, focusing on real-road performance with an experience crafted around the driver. Development of its first two vehicles, Speedster and Roadster, has pursued a singular philosophy: simplify, focus on beauty and connection, then add lightness, until all that remains is automotive intoxication.

All Longbow models are designed, engineered, and will be hand-built in the UK. Each will benefit from the best, most proven supply chain for high-performance vehicle components, allowing Longbow to optimise for performance, feel, and reliability. Both Speedster and Roadster will feature a pioneering powertrain package focused on weight, dynamics, performance, longevity and range.

Mark Tapscott, COO at Longbow, commented: “At Longbow, we live by a few simple principles, and central to these is: we can never have too much good advice. Whether it’s engineering details, company strategy, customer community building and even design suggestions, we listen. Combining strength in our conviction to move at the Speed of Lightness with the humility to learn from the incredible expert experience around us is how we’ll build the best outcome for the road ahead.”

Reservations are open now for the limited edition vehicles longbowmotors.com

Ends

Images are available here: https://we.tl/t-FiEmEMAOkU
High resolution video file can be downloaded here: https://we.tl/t-sFGGCGpIty

Media Contact
press@longbowmotors.com

About Longbow
Longbow is the pioneering British lightweight electric sportscar manufacturer. It offers a thoroughly modern take on the time-tested concept of a featherweight British sportscar. Each Longbow is hand-built in the UK and embodies lightweight agility, impeccable engineering, masterful craftsmanship, and an intimately connected driving experience. Deliveries for its first two models, the Longbow Speedster and Longbow Roadster, are set for 2026.

Longbow was founded in 2023 by Daniel Davey, Jenny Keisu, and Mark Tapscott. longbowmotors.com