The world's first functioning electric Batmobile is ready to fight crime

A true DC fan knows that Batman's most valuable asset among his crime-fighting arsenal is his iconic Batmobile. And everyone who's seen a Batman movie or read a Batman comic has surely dreamt of owning a Batmobile themselves.

Artist Nguyen Dac Chung, a 23-year-old graduate from the Hanoi University of Architecture, and his team of designers, architects, mechanics, and engineers decided to make that dream a reality. Behold, the world's first fully-functioning Electric Batmobile. 

The making of the Electric Batmobile

Based on Christopher Nolan's version of the iconic vehicle, the Electric Batmobile is more than a mere cosplay item. Calling his brainchild "a fully operational, tactical vehicle capable of freeway speeds", Nguyen states that he chose Nolan's version, "the Tumbler", due to its utilitarian, off-road, tank-like design. 

The team based the vehicle's design on the original Batmobile's blueprint. The building started with the steel frame and later moved towards creating the armor panels that form the body. To build the Electric Batmobile, Nguyen and his team used a mixture of materials such as abs, composite, steel, and carbon fiber. While some parts of the vehicle are handmade, others are 3D-printed for extra precision. And even though it's capable of highway speeds, the Electric Batmobile weighs less than 1,300 lbs (600 kg). 

Yes, the Batmobile's looks could kill, but perhaps the most striking feature of Nguyen's Electric Batmobile is the sustainability it offers thanks to its lithium-ion-powered electric engine. With a top speed of 65 mph (104 kph), the design was already a inspiration. However, Nguyen wanted to up his hans and decided to include additional features in the Electric Batmobile. Boasting remote-controlled automatic hydraulic doors and four tactical cameras for a near-360 view especially for tight corners, the Batmobile also comes with a passenger seat that's, of course, reserved for Robin. 

​Dubbed as the world's first and only electric Batmobile replica, the vehicle is on display at Ho Chi Minh City-based automotive gallery VAN DARYL in Vietnam. "As a kid, I was a fan of superheroes, especially Batman. Growing up, I’ve always wanted to build a Batmobile. All of them. From Adam West’s to Christian Bale’s. While other cosplay businesses focus on costumes and accessories, I wanted to take things to the next level and completely blow people’s minds", says Nguyen, according to his Batmobile's page on the gallery's website. 

What do you think of the Electric Batmobile, would you take it for a ride through Gotham?