Before you watch Robert Pattinson’s emo Bruce Wayne sulk his way through Matt Reeves’ The Batman, cast your thoughts back to the Bale days. Sure, the writing was lacklustre towards the end and the series definitely peaked early, but for all their faults, the Christopher Nolan-era Dark Knight trilogy perfectly captured the Caped Crusader’s affinity for pointless, albeit handy gadgets. And throughout the entire series, no gizmo was more widely-loved than the Tumbler, the superhero’s military-inspired, multifaceted Batmobile.
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First making an appearance in 2005’s Batman Begins, the Tumbler encapsulated the film’s darker, brutalist approach. Where other Batmobiles were essentially glorified muscles cars laden with rejected Bond-style gadgets, Bale’s mode of transport was designed to be a true all-purpose, indestructible force of nature. Within that, however, list one lingering concern – fuel consumption.
Rewatching the trilogy, you can’t help but think a gas-guzzling on-road tank would make for a counter-productive crime-fighting companion, even for a billionaire playboy like Bruce Wayne. Thankfully, Vietnam-based workshop Macro Studios may have just solved the dilemma. The pop-culture replica studio has just unveiled the world’s first fully functional electric Batmobile. Holy emissions reduction, Batman!
According to artist Nguyen Dac Chung, Macro Studios was able to recreate the iconic movie vehicle using the original blueprints from the film. Naturally, the result is a near dead-on replica of the six-wheeled Tumblr, albeit with an added green twist. The 5.7-litre V8 from the original vehicle has instead been swapped out for an electric powertrain and dual Lithium-ion batteries, that allow the 1,322-lb beast to push the speedo to 65mph. Sure, that might not sound incredible, but considering the actual Tumbler weighed a whopping 5,000-lbs, lightening the load enough to get it moving is victory enough.
The good news is that the electric Batmobile maintains the same bells and whistles that fans have come to love. In addition to the dual13-inch front wheels and four 18-inch rear wheels, complete with 33-inch tires, the Tumbler recreation also features sliding automatic doors and a four-camera system that offers a nearly 360-degree view to monitor the cockpit.
The Macro Studio Batmobile replica is currently on display at the Van Daryl automotive gallery in Ho Chi Minh City, but incredibly, it’s not a one-off. The studio has confirmed that it will be taking orders for the Tumbler through its website, meaning that if you’ve ever wanted to own your own Batmobile, the opportunity has finally arrived. And before you ask, yes, it definitely comes in black.
