A jaunt in an RC car can be great fun for young and old. One limitation of small and inexpensive remote-controlled speedsters, however, is the limited top speed. Many vehicles only reach 15 to 20 km / h here, a few 30 km / h. If that’s too boring for you, you can use a racing car or buggy with a speed of 70 km / h and more.
We looked at two extremely fast and off-road RC buggies for less than 200 euros and explain in this guide what prospective racing pilots should look out for. We also give an outlook on other vehicles that are currently available on the market for less than 200 euros.
One should pay attention to this before driving
We have to anticipate one thing: fast remote-controlled vehicles that can reach top speeds of over 50 km / h are not for beginners, and certainly not for children. At least if you are not accompanied by an adult, you shouldn’t let the youngest ride it. Because an accident with the fun device can quickly cause property damage or even personal injury.
Before you go on a joyride, we recommend a place that offers enough space. A meadow is also suitable for an RC buggy, provided the grass is not too deep. A larger square would also be a possibility, as long as there weren’t too many people there. Sidewalks or public roads in front of the house are less suitable, especially if they are used a lot by cars or cycling.
Ideally, you should choose a location where there are few or no obstacles in the way. At a speed of 75 km / h and more, a crash can quickly mean the end of an RC racing car – or worse. At this speed, the vehicle covers almost 20 meters per second. For example, an inattentive moment with an associated impact against a house wall cost us parts of the rear spoiler. A collision with another person also harbors the risk of injury.
If you use an RC racing car frequently, one is recommended Liability insurance. Before finishing one should make sure that the use of remote-controlled model cars is included. If in doubt, you should contact the insurance company in advance. An alternative is membership in German Minicar Club. The annual fee includes insurance protection based exclusively on RC sports.
RC buggy or racing car
Most of the particularly fast RC cars under 200 euros are buggies, i.e. off-road racing vehicles. These are characterized by their light weight, all-wheel drive and large, well-sprung wheels. In contrast to conventional racing cars, the suspension in particular allows the RC buggy to be used on unpaved roads. This allows a more flexible use off the track, in which the speedster doesn’t always get stuck.
All remote-controlled racing cars shown here have all-wheel drive. This increases the traction of the vehicle by distributing the power to all four wheels. Since the electric motor wants to convert a lot of power in these speedsters, distributing the drive slip to all four wheels prevents the tires from spinning. In RC cars with less power, this does not play such a big role, here the drive is mostly via the rear axle.
We took a closer look at two fast RC buggies: That WL Toys 1/14 2.4G 4WD High Speed Racing RC Car According to the manufacturer, it reaches around 60 km / h. At Banggood, the vehicle currently costs 89 Euro. Other providers usually charge 120 euros for this. Thanks to its availability in warehouses in Europe, it can be delivered within a week. It has a similar structure, but is even faster at 75 km / h Eachine EAT14 RTR 1/14 2.4G 4WD. The racing buggy costs at Banggood about 142 euros. Shipping from China takes up to three weeks. Both speedsters have a 1:14 scale and use a brushless electric motor as a drive.
A comparable alternative is the one that looks a little more robust Flyhal 1/10 Scale 4WD Remote Control RC Car bei Banggood for 75 euros. The dealer specifies the maximum speed of 62 km / h. If you don’t want to be on the move that fast, you can go to the Carrera RC Profi Lime Star PX grab at a maximum of 50 km / h. Another inexpensive option for “beginners” is the smaller one LMIAOM PXTOYS 9302 1/18. At Banggood, the buggy currently costs 50 Euro.
Classic racing cars are much rarer in this price range. Although these sometimes also offer all-wheel drive, they do not have the strong suspension of the wheels like a buggy. The cheapest way to get started is here HSKB 1/10 2.4G RC Autothat is up to 70 km / h.
Components such as the battery or motor as well as other parts can be replaced in many of the fast RC buggies. We recommend an additional battery to change, so that the driving pleasure is not over too quickly. additional Accessories for the model from WL Toys can also be found directly at Banggood.
Structure and equipment
The requirements for the battery in such a fast RC vehicle are completely different from those of a cheaper and slower model. In addition to a particularly high capacity, these must also provide enough power for the electric motor. All models shown here use LiPo batteries with two cells. In some vehicles, it is also possible to connect two batteries in series.
We got the WL Toys 1/14 2.4G 4WD High Speed Racing RC Car with three batteries with a capacity of 2600 mAh each and a gun-shaped remote control with 2.4 GHz. The batteries have an output of almost 20 Wh at 7.4 volts. The charging time is just under 3 hours. The construction of the Eachine EAT14 RTR 1/14 2.4G 4WD is almost identical. A remote control and a LiPo battery with two cells with a capacity of 2800 mAh, 7.4 volts and over 20 Wh power including a USB charging cable are included. The charging time for the battery is around 4 hours.
The plastic body is removed to remove and secure the battery. This is attached to the chassis with two clamps. Underneath is a tub for the battery with a fastening strap and the power button.
When we installed it in the WL Toys model, we had an unpleasant surprise: the battery supplied did not fit into the shell provided for it in the underbody of the vehicle straight away. Fortunately, there are numerous screws on the underside of the chassis that can be used to adjust the width of the bracket for the battery. The included fastening strap was also too short for the larger battery. We fixed it with a rubber band. With the Eachine EAT14, on the other hand, the supplied battery fit exactly into the compartment provided. In addition, the engine even has an additional cooler.
A bit awkward: Before you start, you press a button on the chassis between the motor and the battery until you hear a beep. To do this, it is necessary to remove the body. You now have five minutes to put the vehicle into operation before it switches off automatically. Then you clamp the body and switch on the remote control. The remote control offers a throttle for the index finger and a steering wheel for steering. Drivers can use two rotary controls to trim the steering and acceleration if required.
Handling and driving behavior
The coupling process with the remote control works immediately and by itself. By default, all RC racing vehicles presented here use a pistol-shaped remote control that transmits at 2.4 GHz. This has the advantage that several users can drive the same vehicle in close proximity without disturbing each other. Analog radio connections in the MHz range can only be found in very inexpensive remote-controlled vehicles.
Before driving off for the first time, you should make sure that there are no people or objects in the direction of travel. Because the Racer accelerates incredibly fast. With a timid finger, however, a slower pace is initially possible. The control reacts quickly and directly. Proportional steering allows precise steering. The difference to a conventional control: the wheels do not turn to the maximum with every steering movement, but only move as far as the pilot operates the wheel on the remote control. If you still dare to steer more strongly at full speed, you usually do a U-turn – which looks very spectacular and is a lot of fun.
The vehicle drives surprisingly well in the field and also manages well on grass – if it is not too deep, there is a risk of getting stuck because the wheels do not have enough contact with the ground. The wheels usually spin on gravel, which places special demands on the control of the vehicle. The RC buggy accelerates best on asphalt and only here should the maximum speed be possible. Even if the remote-controlled speedster covers a good 16 meters per second at top speed, the range of a good 100 meters of the remote control is sufficient to control the vehicle. Anyway, further away you can no longer see the buggy well enough.
After about 15 minutes the battery is empty, which can be seen in the fact that the control no longer reacts so well and a red light on the remote control flashes. Before removing the body to remove the battery, you should wait a little. Both the battery and, in particular, the electric motor get very hot – there is a risk of burns to your fingers.
The handling of the Eachine EAT14 RTR 1/14 2.4G 4WD is similar, only that it is significantly faster at 75 km / h. However, it is not easy to reach the top speed at all, as an obstacle or person usually gets in the way. The high speed is at the expense of the battery, so that the EAT14 dies after just 12 minutes.
Conclusion
A ride in a fast RC buggy is a lot of fun. After that, driving in another remote-controlled vehicle seems like a vile drive. You can get an RC runabout with speeds of over 60 km / h for as little as 80 euros. Due to the robustness and suspension, which also allows use on the lawn, buggies have an advantage over classic racing cars.
However, you should really only go to suitable places with enough space and run-off areas so as not to endanger others. Such vehicles are not suitable for children – at least not without a supervisor. Beginners should be careful at the beginning and take the time to gradually get used to the driving behavior.
Disclaimer: This article is generated from the feed and not edited by our team.