Carkol is a Pokémon which resembles a minecart. It has a head with two triangular eyes and a mouth that has a warm, orange glow. Behind its head is a small heap of coal which can glow orange-red, atop a body of black stone. It has four wheel-like legs which it moves on.
Carkol forms coal and coal tar inside of its body. Although it frequently drops its coal, the heap on Carkol's back never falls apart completely even when it travels at high speeds, due to the tar binding it together. People in the Galar region once used Carkol's coal to fuel their lives. Carkol can move faster than 18 mph (30 km/h) and can breathe flames hotter than 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius). When Carkol experiences strong emotions, the temperature inside its body increases.