Comparison Between Nitro “gas” & Electric RC Cars

RC cars can go very fast. Gas powered RC cars can accelerate for 0 - 60 mph in less than 2 seconds. But the hall of fame cars are all electric cars. So the best guess can be that electric RC Cars seem to dominate. On the other hand talking of racing over 30 to 60 minutes long, gas cars can consistently post the fastest lap speeds.

R/C cars started in 1/8th Scale On-Road Gas class. And when it comes to pure performance, nothing beats the speed and realism of 1/8th scale on-road gas cars. They give speed from Zero - to - sixty miles per hour (mph) in 1.5 seconds, at racing speeds of over 70 mph. And these are real speeds as captured by radar guns. For power, these cars use 3.5cc 2-stroke engines capable of producing 2 horsepower. Power is delivered via a 2-speed or 3-speed automatic transmission to a 2WD or 4WD full suspension chassis. Wide, low profile foam tires produce the grip needed to propel these machines to incredible speeds.

1/10th Scale Off-Road RC Electric Trucks are 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. 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.

1/10th Scale Gas Touring Cars are similar to electric touring cars, but with more power and 2-speed transmission. At 190mm, these cars are slightly narrower and smaller than the 200mm models. These cars are tamer in performance as compared to 1/8th scale on-road gas, but still capable of speeds in excess of 50mph.

Performance at the track is similar to their electric counterparts. At twisty turns, electrics are usually faster. However, the 2-speed transmission allows gas touring cars to achieve higher top speeds. Some of these cars are Team Associated Nitro TC3 and OFNA LD3 RTR. These cars have an engine of Force .12 that gives a speed of 40 mph.

1/8th Scale Off-Road Gas Trucks combines the speed and power of a 3.5cc engine with the fun of running in off-road conditions. These buggies need and use 4WD to transfer the power of the 3.5cc engines to the track. Sticky rubber tires provide the much-needed grip. HPI Savage 25 Nitro Monster Truck, Associated Monster GT, HPI Nitro Savage 21 RTR Monster Truck, Tamiya Terra Crusher Gas Truck, 1/10 Traxxas Tmaxx or T-Maxx Nitro RC Truck are some of the 1/8th scale off road gas trucks.