In this episode we speak with Mark Tapscott, Co-Founder and CEO of Longbow, an electric sports car company whose aim is to engineer vehicles that are fast, ultra-lightweight and will stand the test of time. Mark co-founded Longbow in 2023 after two decades launching electric vehicles into new markets, including for Tesla and BYD. He explains their vision for success and the factors behind it, including the UK’s world-class supply chain, a high-powered advisory board, and their dedication to craftsmanship over volume. Mark explains his view that the UK is among the best places in the world to design, assemble and sell sports cars.
Mark describes how Longbow takes the best parts of strategies gleaned from Silicon Valley and China, such as periodically “breaking and rebuilding” the company as they grow and relying on nimble expert teams of engineers. He also goes deeper into Longbow’s focus on lightweighting, describing it as an efficiency philosophy that will shape the future of transportation. In an industry with a longstanding affinity for petrol and heavy design, he has received some pushback on electric lightweight vehicles. However, Mark leaves us with an insight from his early days at Tesla: if enough people tell you an idea won't work, you may be onto something.
Listen here and on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and check out the Longbow website.
Supported by Norman Broadbent.
Mark Tapscott
