Nguyen Dac Chung, a 23-year-old student of the Hanoi University of Architecture started building the automobile 10 months ago with his friends. They even hired some extra people to speed up the process. The Vietnamese Batmobile is almost complete, but not ready to hit the road yet.
Chung said he was inspired to embark on this project by his passion for the original version of the Batmobile in the Christopher Nolan’s 2008 blockbuster “The Dark Knight”. He also saw it as a potential breakthrough in the cosplay career that he is perusing.
Chung first used a 3D drawing because he couldn’t find the blueprint of the original version used in the movie. The car’s body is made of thermoplastic, iron pipes and glue. The falcon-wing doors are designed to open exactly like in the movie.
The front wheels are designed independently because they are the hardest part during the operational design and the team is looking to revise this detail to make the car able to run.
The rear of the car has been raised up with dual tires of extra large size. Chung ordered six of them for over VND100 million, using borrowings as well as money earned from his business of selling cosplay accessories. Raising money was one of the reasons it has taken such a long time to complete the project.
The exhaust system at the back is actually a jet engine in the original version, so Chung made a fake one using cartons, his limited finances not allowing the use of more expensive materials.
The flaps can be adjusted to go high and low with compressed air pipes. Chung used the technical expertise of his friends to complete the hydraulic system and electrical parts.
The Batmobile uses sportscar seats. Except for the engine, all other parts were purchased new and installed by the team.
The interior is still incomplete with many unfinished details. No safety features or entertainment accessories have been used.
The car has two adult seats. Chung said he and his friends have created the Batmobile for promoting, exhibiting and going into the industry of making accessories for movies, a relatively new vocation in the country.
