One of my favorite vehicles has always been and will forever remain the Volkswagen Beetle, any model and year, really. So, whenever I come across something that has ‘Beetle juice’ in it, you can understand why I have a hard time refraining from bringing it to light.
What makes this project worth your time and even money is the fact that, while this one’s CGI, while exploring all the VW Beetle has to offer, I encountered craftsmen and women who have whipped up something similar, and for real!
For example, HennyButabi, a rather famous YouTube creator, has a knack for crafting all sorts of DIY projects in his garage and backyard. One of those projects made use of the fenders off an old Beetle, which, once subjected to hammers, welders, and paints, gave rise to the Volkspod.
Photo: Aldekas Studio
Just as a brief brush-me-up, HennyButabi’s Volkspod is a two-wheeler with a steel-tube frame that’s been designed to operate on nothing but electric power. The rear wheel includes a motor and, hidden under the body but visible, a battery pack. Throw on a handlebar, seat, and throttle, and we’re off; I’ve added the video of that project below.
That brings us to the visual spectacle here today, which, mind you, popped up on the internet nearly two years before HennyButabi created his own Volkspod. This leads me to ask why no one has built this machine by now. Maybe that’ll be you over this summer.
Now, what makes the Bugkart or any other Volkspod so unique is the way it instantly sends your mind toward the image of a VW Beetle. As I mentioned earlier, this is achieved with the use of two opposing fenders that are welded together, giving us the overall body shape. Add a headlight at the front and a taillight at the rear, and it’s a Volkspod.
Photo: Aldekas Studio
From here, Aldekas explores the idea of setting that body on top of a go-kart chassis and motorization, with a few minor differences, of course. For example, there’s nothing on what sort of motor could be used for this puppy, but two air filters coming out of each side of the motor give this Beetle one hell of a menacing look.
What we can also see while looking at the design is the fact that there are no pedals on this one. Instead, they’ve been replaced by nothing more than a pair of footrests. Why? It has a whole lot to do with the riding position this body forces upon its rider.
Since the bulbous shape of the body must remain as such to give off the whole Beetle look, the only solution was to place the rider on top and not low and in the middle as you would in a go-kart. This is achieved by the use of a very bicycle-like saddle and handlebar, too; it looks a hell of a whole lot like HennyButabi’s real machine. To top it off, a pair of side mirrors are thrown in. The rest is open to your imagination.
Photo: Aldekas Studio
Speaking of which, there are a few readers amongst our pages who have the know-how and skill to actually bring this sort of vehicle to life. Even if you don’t end up finding any real fenders off a Beetle, with the right skill set and tools, this dream can become a reality. HennyButabi did it; you can too. The real trick is then pulling it off in such a way as to make it worthy of the title Volkspod.
If someone does, which is a very real possibility, they’d be subjected to a volley of messages and interviews the moment news surfaced of its creation. Heck, someone can even go as far as opening a business around this idea because, let’s face it, if you could go out and buy this right now, wouldn’t you? Sure, price is bound to be a factor in it all, but if the price is right, I’d rock the Bugkart around town any day. I’d even talk my friends into getting their own so we could hang out as a gang and even start a little subculture.
At the end of the day, the Bugkart is just a rendering, but one that can inspire countless people to take matters into their own hands and bring them to life. Dear reader, if you’re out there and have the know-how to manipulate engines and bodywork in such a way as to craft something like this, please, for the love of god, leave a comment!
