Beginner's Guide to Electric R/C Cars and Trucks

"I still remember the time my parents bought me an electric rc truck. I was around 9 years old, and the entire family was on vacation in Hong Kong.

We entered a small rc hobby shop, and I felt like I was in heaven, surrounded by rc cars and trucks. Looking around, one rc truck that caught my eye was a Tamiya Ford Ranger XLT. I asked my parents to buy me one...

The hobby store owner then mentioned that in addition to the rc car kit, I needed to buy a radio control system, a 7.2 volt battery, and a charger for the battery.

That was around 22 years ago... and I still remember it like it was only yesterday. And yes... my parents did buy me the rc truck!" - Joel M.

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Guide to Electric RC Cars

Electric rc cars use a 7.2 volt battery pack and electric motors. Out of the box, rc cars and rc electric trucks are capable of speeds up to 25 miles per hour. This is a perfect speed for beginners.

The best part is that an electric rc car or truck can be modified with faster motors, ball bearings, high power batteries, and more... pushing the speeds past 40+ mph (these are real miles per hours!) 

Electric RC Car Accessories

In addition to buying the car kit, you need to buy the following: 1) radio control unit, 2) AA batteries for the transmitter, 3) battery pack, 4) charger for the 7.2v battery pack.

Picture of my Tamiya Wild Willy 2 Electric RC Truck and Accessories

	1. Radio Control Unit The radio control unit is the electronics that control the speed and direction of the car. A basic radio controller consists of the following: a. transmitter b. receiver c. servos (2) d. batter holder for the receiver e. on/off switch f. servo horns
	2. AA Batteries and Charger The transmitter (pictured above) needs 8AA sized batteries to produce 12 volts. Rechargeable batteries will work, just note that a single  rechargeable AA batteries produces only 1.2 volts (alkaline produce 1.5 volts).  Using 8AA rechargeable batteries will produce 9.6 volts, slightly less voltage than the ideal 12 volts. Still, most transmitters will work fine with 9.6 volts.
	3. 7.2v Battery Pack To power the cars, you will need battery packs that produce 7.2 volts. These are either made of nickel-cadmium (NiCD) or the newer nickel-hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries.  Good brands are Tamiya, Fukuyama, Orion, Trinity, Sanyo, and Panasonic. More info on rc car batteries
	4. Battery Charger There are two basic types: timer, and peak detection chargers. With the timer charger, you will have to monitor whether or not the battery is fully charged, which can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. The other type is a peak detection charger. It is more expensive, but does a better job of charging the batteries. It can sense when a battery is fully charged and will automatically shut off, preventing overcharging, which can destroy the battery. If you can afford it, buy the peak detection charger. Good brands are Tekin, GMVIS, LRP, Team Orion, MuchMore,Turbocharger, Duratrax ICE, and Novak.

Ready to Run ( RTR ) Electric RC Cars

During my time there were no ready-to-run r/c cars. We had to buy the car kit, radio controller, battery, and charger as separate items.

Today, getting started with electric rc cars or trucks is easy. Manufacturers now sell ready-to-run or rtr cars, which come complete with all rc accessory, all in one box. 

What Type of RC Car is Best for Beginners

If you are new to the hobby, I would recommend you buy an electric rc car or truck. They are less problematic, quiet, and emit no harmful fumes. Below are some categories of various electric rc cars and trucks.

1/10th Scale Electric Touring RC Cars

Electric RC touring cars are very popular, mainly because these cars look very real. (The picture on the left is my Tamiya Mercedes Benz SLK electric touring rc car.)

Electric touring rc cars make use of sedan type car bodies, 4WD, and fully independent suspension system. Some use only 2WD, either as a front wheel drive or rear wheel drive.

There are two major design philosophies with regards to transmission design; belt or shaft (gear) driven. Both designs have proven their worth on the racetrack. I find belt driven cars to be more stable in corners, while shaft driven cars seem to have higher top speeds. 

These electric remote control cars are the heaviest on-road electric cars. They therefore perform best with modified, high-torque electric motors, and high capacity batteries.

Electric RC Car Reviews

Below are links to my reviews on electric cars that are good for first timers or those with some experience. Just click on the hyperlinks to read the full review.

	HPI Dash RTR The HPI Dash is a ready to run 1/10th scale electric rc car. This is a perfect beginner's car...
	Associated RTR TC3 This is the fast ready to run electric touring car from many times World Champion, Team Associated.
	HPI Micro RS4 Nissan Skyline The HPI Micro RS4 line of cars are 1/18th scale electric rc cars. Perfect for playing indoors, street, or garages...

1/10th Scale Off-Road RC Electric Trucks

Probably the most popular class, these cars (i.e. buggies, racing trucks, monster trucks) can be run on almost any type of surface. Dirt, dust, water, and jumps add to the fun.

These cars also make use of the standard 540 electric motor. The main difference to on-road is the suspension system. Long shock absorbers keep rc electric trucks stable over bumpy surfaces.

Tires are also bigger, have deeper threads or spikes, and are made of rubber. 2WD is still the most popular class for off-road, although there are plenty of 4WD cars to choose from.

* Picture of my favorite electric rc truck, the Tamiya Wild Willy 2.

1/12th Scale On-Road Electric

Early electric cars were 1/12th scale run on-road. Today’s cars are run indoors and outdoors, on asphalt or on smooth carpet. 

These cars make use of 540 size electric motors, powered by 4 or 7 cell batteries. Pan chassis with direct drive transmission are the norm. Foam tires are used and lightweight Lexan bodies are used.

Because of its small size, 1/12th scale cars are lightweight, and have good power-to-weight ratio. 30+ mph speeds are achievable even with the basic Mabuchi stock motor. 

Forum Topics
Orion V2, spektrum, indoor track, tire inserts, sorex 28, Xray T1FK05, GMVIS, GM SX-9 esc, Protoform G6 body, Corally RDX touring car, rubber tyres, Team Losi JRXS, EAMotorsports, Pro-match batteries, Tamiya TA05, motor lathes, Max Racing MX-707R, HPI Pro 4, bulb discharger, fastest 19 and 27 turn motors, Spintec battery manager.

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