Nitro vs Electric RC Cars – How to Choose Between Nitro and Electric

If you are new to the world of RC vehicles, you’re going to find that there are few things as fun as terrorizing a race track or speeding across a lake with an RC vehicle. But before you get started, one of the first decisions you will have to make is whether to choose an electric or nitro fueled vehicle. In this article, I will look at some pros and cons of each.

If you are an absolute beginner, an electric RC car might be your best option. They are usually easier to use than their Nitro counterparts and only require charged batteries to operate. Electric cars also tend to require less maintenance as their motor have less moving parts that come loose or cause problems. They can also usually be purchased at a lower price than the nitro powered vehicle.

Nitro fueled cars do not run on regular gasoline, but instead powered by an engine that runs on a blend of 3 primary components: nitromethane, methanol, and oil. Their engines are just like regular engines with carburetors, clutches, pistons, glow plugs (like spark plugs), etc. They also come with a fuel talk and exhaust system.

In general, nitro cars usually offer greater speeds. But becoming more and more popular are rc cars using brushless electric motors. These motors do not have contact brushes. This reduces friction and heat and provides much greater and power than the regular, brushed electric motor. In fact, as of the writing this article, brushless electric models, and not nitro, hold fastest remote control speed records.

A major advantage of nitro cars is runtime. With electric vehicles, you are at the will of the life-time of the battery. Even with the best batteries and chargers, it can take at least 45 minutes to recharge and get your car back up and running. With only 10-15 minutes of runtime for the normal battery, you would need a small army of batteries charged at all times to enjoy continuous racing or use. With a nitro car, when you run out of gas, you simply refuel and go.

Choosing an electric or nitro rc vehicle can be a tough decision, especially for a beginner. But no matter what you choose, you will find a great selection of quality products to choose from.