[Ivan Miranda] is famous for his large-scale 3D printed vehicles. They’re pretty fun, but they’re also pretty big and heavy—which can make transporting them around rather impractical. Hence, when he had reason to travel with a 3D printed go kart, he went back to the drawing board to create something light enough to pack in regular plane luggage.
The build started with some major compromises compared to [Ivan]’s previous go kart build. Notably, there are only three wheels instead of four, and a simplified control layout that eschews a regular steering wheel. These decisions were made to save weight and allow the design to be more compact. The kart uses a set of handles either side of the rider to handle steering. Drive is via a brushless motor, with power supplied from a series of 18 V drill batteries. Parts were produced on [Ivan]’s massive printer which comes in handy on large-scale projects like these.
All in all, the final build weighed around 20 kg. That’s light enough to be broken down across checked luggage and carry-on for a typical flight. We’d consider the project a success on that basis, even if quite a bit of assembly was required upon arriving at the destination. [Ivan]’s other builds in this realm are pretty fun too, from the printed scooter to the ride-on tank.
For those that want a non-DIY product, see the Honda motocompacto
https://motocompacto.honda.com/
It’s an electric scooter that folds into a briefcase. Theoretically intended for Tokyo commuters who will save money by parking outside the city and riding the last mile(s) on their scooter.
The price is a bit bonkers, but at least it transforms between luggage and motor vehicle quickly.
That would be covered by the previous video:
https://hackaday.com/2026/07/10/3d-printed-scooter-fits-in-your-luggage-some-assembly-required/
That one requires a lot of work to pack and unpack.
What I like about three wheeled vehicles;
you never miss a bump in the road.
Also, if you find yourself on an inclined sidewalk, you’re guaranteed a nice ride in the downhill direction.
Reminds me of my own sub-compact, travel-sized, drifting go-kart project (with video) on Printables which I love to bring to conventions and the like:
https://www.printables.com/model/1728301-patchkart-the-ultimate-sub-miniature-go-kart