Holy electric car, Batman! Batmobile listed for $US1.5 million – with a catch

An electric Batmobile – allegedly used during filming of the 1992 film Batman Returns – is for sale in the US with an asking price of $US1.5 million ($AU2.27 million).

Listed by Classic Auto Mall, the seller claims this Batmobile was used during filming of the Tim Burton-directed Batman Returns, starring Michael Keaton and Danny De Vito.

However, US publication Silodrome suggests this Batmobile might not be all it seems, claiming it has “received a credible report that this car has been misrepresented by the seller” – adding the company selling it on consignment is seeking additional authentication.

The seller claims this Batmobile was built by Pinewood Studios in London on a Chevrolet Impala chassis – although it is powered by an electric motor and 48-volt lead acid batteries, rather than the donor car’s V8 petrol engine.

While the fictional Batmobile was capable of reaching up to 530km/h with the help of a 7500kW/2370Nm jet engine, the real-world stunt car had a top speed of less than 50km/h thanks to its rudimentary electric technology. 

According to the listing, the electric stunt car was used in a scene where the film’s villain, The Penguin (played by De Vito), takes control of the Batmobile via remote control with Batman (Keaton) behind the wheel.

Rather than design a system which would allow the Batmobile to be controlled remotely, a stunt driver was located behind the front seats, operating the driving controls while being hidden behind a curtain.

After filming for the blockbuster concluded, the Batmobile’s seller claims it was used as a prop at the Batman Returns rollercoaster ride at a Six Flags amusement park in New Jersey, while its batteries have not been charged since 1993.

With an asking price of $US1.5 million ($AU2.27 million), the electric Batmobile is six-times more than the most expensive electric car in Australia – the $351,000 Porsche Taycan Turbo S – although its authenticity is yet to be verified.

As previously reported, a replica of the Keaton-era Batmobile was offered at a Bonhams auction in March 2021 with an estimated sale price of $AU36,000 to $AU54,000. The Ford Mustang-based replica failed to meet its reserve price.

In 2013, a George Barris-designed Batmobile from the original TV series sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona for a hammer price of $US4.2 million – equivalent to $AU6.3 million today.