RBW Roadster: The all-electric MGB built from the ground up

The shape? Unmistakenly classic British.

But the powerplant? An electric motor.

This is not a conversion, stresses Peter Swain, CEO of RBW EV Cars, but an all-new vehicle built from the ground up.

“My first ever car, 41 years ago, was an MG Midget,” Swain tells us. He figures he’s had about 20 MGs since.

In 2016, his wife mentioned that she’d like one powered by electricity. The idea, Swain continues, was born, with the RBW prototype shown late in 2018. Deliveries started in early 2022.

The new bodyshells come from British Motor Heritage. The electric hardware comes from Continental Engineering Services, part of the longtime tire-producing conglomerate and the third-largest OE parts supplier.

The lithium-ion battery pack lives under the hood–or, to be proper, the bonnet. Thanks to the original iron engine, explains Ian Mills, the firm’s managing director, the nearly 2900-pound RBW lands with a 50/50 weight distribution. It also gets fully independent suspension.

The goal, Mills continues, was to retain the classic character of the MGB yet improve the performance. Where the original MGB needed 12 seconds to reach 60, the EV version only needs about 9. The range is 160 miles, and it’ll top out at 87 mph. A full recharge takes 8 hours.

The average buyer, the company notes, usually falls between 30 and 50–someone after vintage looks but with modern drivability. Each car is built to spec–roadster or GT bodies plus a wide range of colors and options–but the big news regards availability: RBW will show a car at Monterey, and left-hand-drive models for the U.S. market will arrive shortly. They’ll start at $135,000.