When you hear “Kettcar”, you might think of the indie rock band from Hamburg. Or – more likely – the iconic pedal go-kart from your childhood. The sporty pedal car with a handbrake and bucket seat still brings back memories of speedy rides around the schoolyard and races with the children from the neighborhood. In 1961, twelve years after starting his company Kettler in the Sauerland region, Heinz Kettler invented the pedal go-kart and right away gave it a catchy brand name, combining “Kettler” and the English word “car”. The vehicle was a symbol of economic growth and increasing prosperity – and propelled the company Kettler forward in the decades that followed.
Kettcar: a car with a perfect CO2 footprint
The company launched more products on the market, including garden furniture, fitness equipment, bicycles, and toys. But the Kettcar was and still is the company’s trademark – and one with an exceptional CO2 footprint. The various models of the iconic go-kart are named after famous racetracks, such as “Hockenheim” and “Sao Paulo”. More than 15 million have been sold worldwide to date.
(Header: Irina Schmidt – AdobeStock)
