In 2017, artist Nguyen Dac Chung founded Macro Studios, a Vietnam-based cosplay company with a relentless focus on realism and attention to detail. A graduate of the Hanoi University of Architecture, the now-23-year-old Nguyen has spent the last half-decade honing his skills in this space, giving him the confidence and technical abilities needed to carry out Macro Studios’ most ambitious project to date, pivoting away from custom replica costume production to deliver the world’s first fully-electric, fully-functional Batmobile replica.
A working scale replica of the “Tumbler” that was famously featured in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, this electrified recreation was made using blueprints from the original movie car, though is slightly smaller in size. As such, it features a replica tubular steel chassis, though the movie version’s metal bodywork has been jettisoned in favor of ABS plastic, carbon fiber, and various composite pannels. The use of these lightweight constructions enables the vehicle to reach speeds of 65mph, thanks to a surprisingly svelte curb weight of just over 1,300lbs — nearly four times lighter than the 2.5-tonne movie car. Standing at 4.26’ tall and spanning 12.1’ in length and 7.87’ in width, the E-Tumbler rides on a set of 13” front wheels and 18” rear rims — the latter of which is a four-wheel setup that comes shod in ultra-beefy 33” tires.
The original vehicle’s 500-hp 5.7L V8 has been swapped out for an electric powertrain drawing from a pair of Lithium-ion batteries. Alongside the EV powertrain, Nguyen has also bestowed the six-wheeled recreation with several other thoroughly modern features, such as sliding remote-controlled doors and four onboard cameras relaying feeds back to a cockpit-mounted monitor. Plus, the Batmobile has also received a passenger seat, allowing it to accommodate two people. There’s no word as to whether or not the electric Tumbler will feature a propane-powered flamethrower a la the movie car — or whether it will have the original Tumbler’s full foot of suspension travel or titanium axles.
Now complete, the prototype example of Macro Studios’ electric Batmobile Tumbler is currently on display at automotive gallery VAN DARYL in Ho Chi Minh City — which was founded by Daryl Villanueva of Bandit9 fame. What’s more, Nguyen Dac Chung and the rest of the team over at Macro Studios are currently accepting orders for additional E-Tumbler examples, with interested parties being directed to contact the company via its website for further information on pricing, build times, and availability.
