Nguyen Dac Chung, a Vietnamese architecture student and a huge fan of The Dark Knight movie, fulfilled his childhood dream by building his own Batpod, Batman’s iconic two-wheel vehicle. With the help of a team of friends, Chung spent over six months constructing a functional replica of the Batpod, which he unveiled earlier this month.
Born in 1998, Chung dreamed of driving his own Batmobile and Batpod on the streets of his native Hanoi. In 2020, he built a Tumbler, Batman’s impressive Batmobile from The Dark Knight series, and this year, he completed his dream by making his own Batpod.
The DIY Batpod is 3m long, 80cm wide, 90cm high, and weighs 250kg; mostly made of iron with a steel chassis, plastic armrests, and guns. It is powered by an electric engine capable of propelling it to a top speed of 30km/h, designed with road safety in mind.
Chung spent an entire year collecting images of Batman’s iconic two-wheel vehicle, brainstorming ideas with friends, and then putting all the parts together at a factory in Cao Bang. The team faced several challenges, such as sourcing several essential parts from outside Vietnam and implementing the steering system and wiring in a way that prioritized aesthetics.
Despite the challenges, Chung successfully built a Batpod that is 95% similar to the model in the movie, with the unique feature of self-balance without a stand or support point. He also noted that the driver must be almost in a lying position parallel to the vehicle’s body.
Chung’s Batpod project is impressive, considering his passion for The Dark Knight movie and his determination to build the iconic vehicle.
With a cost of approximately $8,500, Chung’s DIY Batpod is a cool-looking vehicle that he can be proud of. It shows that with hard work, dedication, and creativity, anyone can turn their dreams into reality.