Have you always wondered about that, too? Here's the answer!
But first, let's figure out why Kettcar is actually called Kettcar!
The Kettcar was first introduced to the market by KETTLER in1962 and was something completely new. At that time, the Kettcar still had a push-rod drive and a fixed seat. In 1965, the first Kettcar with a chain drive and pedals was introduced. The Kettcar is a toy car that children could propel using pedals. The Kettcar became a bestseller, and to date, more than 15 million units have been sold worldwide.
The word itself is what is known as a portmanteau: it is composed of "KETT," derived from the brand name KETTLER and the English word for car, “car.” The word Kettcar is a registered trademark of Heinz Kettler GmbH & Co. KG. The term was even included in the Duden dictionary in 1974 and then in the Rechtschreibduden in 1980.
Now let's talk about the difference between a go-kart and a Kettcar!
There’s actually no difference between a go-kart and a Kettcar! Kettcar is simply a registered trademark, while “go-kart” is the general term for the vehicle, which is also used by other manufacturers. Other terms include “tretauto” or “pedal go-kart.”
Unfortunately, when the company went bankrupt in 2019, production of the Kettcars also came to an end—for now. But let me emphasize: only for now! We at KETTLER Trading GmbH plan to bring the Kettcar back to the market in 2023! Everyone will have to be patient until then, but once it’s back, the Kettcar racing fun can begin again!