As fuel costs continue to climb across the country, drivers are actively looking for ways to avoid breaking the bank at the pump. While some people are carpooling or relying on public transit, one man from Atlanta, Georgia, has found a much more creative (and unconventional) way to navigate the city on the cheap.
With regular unleaded gas hitting $3.59 per gallon at local Southwest Atlanta stations – and climbing to $4.59 for ultimate 93-octane in the area – filling up a standard vehicle has become incredibly expensive. Instead of waiting for state or federal action to lower fuel prices, a local resident who goes by the name “Soda” has decided to ditch his daily driver entirely.
Two Dollars a Tank
Soda’s solution is a fully customized, street-driven go-kart. While the exact specifications of the build remain under wraps, the financial benefits of the tiny vehicle are pretty impressive.
“Gas is at $3… at $4 here. Don’t let me drive down into the city where it’s almost $5,” Soda explained to Atlanta News First during a recent interview.
To power his custom rig, Soda relies on the cheapest 87-octane fuel he can find. “Good old regular gas takes about $2 to fill up. And I can go ahead and ride all day, man,” he noted. “I can pretty much ride wherever I need to ride with it. And whenever it runs out of gas, put another $2 in it, keep on going”.
Is It Street Legal?
While Soda’s customized go-kart is a cheap way to get around town, it isn’t exactly legal to drive on public roads.
Atlanta News First reporter confirmed that the vehicle is “not exactly strictly legal,” adding that viewers shouldn’t attempt to build or drive their own street karts. However, despite the lack of registration or standard safety features, Soda claims he hasn’t run into any issues with local law enforcement.
“The cops say that they don’t mess with him at all,” it was reported during the live broadcast.
