How Fast Can RC Cars Go?
RC cars have technically evolved massively since they first hit the shelves. Where they were once limited in speed, design and user potential, they now offer the versatility and capability for hours upon hours of enjoyment. If you’re thinking of buying an RC car and want to know just how fast they have the potential to go, we’ve covered all the info you need below.
Hobby versus modified
RC cars are designed and manufactured for different purposes. You can expect a well-made standard hobby RC car to reach speeds of up to 70 miles-per-hour, whereas a modified or drag RC boasts the potential to reach speeds of over 100 miles-per-hour at its max.
Scale speed: What’s it all about?
You might have noticed something called “scale speed” in various product descriptions when you’ve been browsing RC cars on the internet. Don’t let this confuse you: Scale speed is different from actual speed, but still easy to understand.
While actual speed refers to the, well, actual speed your RC car is capable of reaching, scale speed is the speed of travel in relation to the actual full-sized model of the RC. So, if your RC has a scale speed of 1:10, you can expect it to be 1/10 of the actual speed of the car it’s modeled on.
How can I make my RC car go faster?
Obviously, there are limitations to the maximum speed any RC car is capable of reaching, which is why — if speed is your goal — wise purchasing decisions are the best way forward. There are, however, ways to modify your RC to make it go faster, by doing any of the following:
Altering gears: Modifying your pinion gear or spur gear is one of the easiest ways to improve your RC’s performance. Go for the smallest pinion gear you can find and the largest spur gear if you want an increased acceleration. If you’re happy with a slower acceleration and faster overall speed, opt for the largest pinion gear and smallest spur gear.
Switching up your motor: If you have a brushed motor in your RC car, it will have a slightly poorer power efficiency because of the friction inside the motor while the car is running. You may see better results from switching up your motor for a brushless motor, which is a fair bit more efficient.
This is a collaborative article.
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