RC drift cars are capable of speeds between 10 and 50 miles per hours. Entry-level RC drift cars will have a max speed of around 20 miles per hour, while more expensive hobby-grade RC drift cars could reach speeds in the 40 and 50 mile per hour range (or more.)
So, if you are wondering how fast are RC drift cars, I think its important to note that these RC vehicles are best known for their cornering and handling, not their top speeds. But, that doesn’t mean drift cars are slow by any means!
In this article, we will take a look at the top speeds of various RC drift cars. We will also discuss some of the factors that affect an RC drift car’s max speed. So, if you are looking to buy an RC drift car and want to know how fast they go, read on!
What is an RC drift car and how does it work?
An RC drift car is a remote-controlled vehicle that is designed to drift around corners. Drifting is a driving technique where the driver intentionally oversteers, causing the rear wheels to lose traction and slide sideways. This can be done by accelerating or braking hard while turning.
RC drift cars are usually based on real-life drifting cars, such as the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 or the Toyota Supra. They often have wide bodies and low ground clearance to improve stability while drifting. RC drift cars come in either rear-wheel dirve or four-wheel drive configurations.
Most RC drift cars are electric, but they can have nitro-powered engines. Electric RC drift cars are more popular because you can race them on indoor drift courses and they easier to maintain than nitro-powered cars. You can’t drive nitro powered cars indoors because of the exhaust gases. So, if you are looking for a drift car, we recommend electric drift cars.
Electric drift cars are:
- safe for indoor driving
- easy to maintain
- have powerful electric motors
- Can be equipped with censored brushless motor and ESCs
How Fast Can An RC Drift Car Go?
The speed of an RC drift car is mainly determined by the motor and battery that it uses. The type of motor, the size of the battery, the weight of the car, and even the tires can all affect the top speed.
That being said, most RC drift cars will be able to reach speeds between 20 and 40 miles per hour. However, most RC drift cars have a top speed of around 15 to 20 mph. Some may be able to go a bit faster, but this is generally considered to be the sweet spot for most drivers.
This may not seem very fast, but when you take into account the fact that these cars are usually only around 1/10 to 1/16 the size of a regular car, it’s actually quite impressive!
Of course, if you’re just starting out with RC drifting, you probably won’t be reaching these kinds of speeds anyway. Just focus on perfecting your technique sliding around the corners and having fun!
Fastest RC Drift Cars You Can Buy Today
There are a lot of different RC cars on the market these days. It can be hard to decide which one is right for you. Do you want an off-road car? A drift car? Or maybe something that can do both?
If you’re looking for speed, then you’ll want to check out some of the top RC drift cars. These cars are built for speed and can reach some pretty impressive speeds. But how fast can they really go?
We’ve put together a list of the top five fastest RC drift cars, so you can see for yourself just how fast these little machines can go.
- Traxxas 4-Tec 2.0 Ford Mustang GT: 30+ mph
- Exceed RC Electric Drift Star RTR: 15 mph
- Redcat Racing EPX Drift Car: 25 mph
- HPI Racing Ford Mustang: 30 mph
- Jada Toys Fast & Furious Han’s Mazda RX-7: 15 mph
What affects an RC Drift car’s top speed?
There are several factors that affect an RC car’s top speed, including:
- The weight of the car
- The size of the motor
- The type of battery
- The gearing ratio
- The aerodynamics of the car’s body
Lighter cars will generally be able to achieve higher top speeds than heavier cars. This is because a lighter car has less mass that needs to be accelerated by the motor. The size of the motor also affects an RC car’s top speed. A larger motor can provide more power to the wheels, which will result in a higher top speed.
The type of battery also affects an RC car’s top speed. Lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries are typically capable of providing more power than other types of batteries, such as NiCad or NiMH batteries. This means that they can help an RC car to achieve a higher top speed. NiMH and NiCad batteries are typically found in cheaper RC drift cars more suitable for beginners.
The electronic speed control on many drift RC cars have different settings for boost, turbo, timing, and drag break. depending on how you have your car’s ESC tuned you may have a higher or lower top speed.
The gearing ratio is another factor that affects an RC car’s top speed. A lower gearing ratio will result in a higher top speed, but it will also cause the motor to work harder and may cause the battery to run out of power more quickly.
The aerodynamics of the car’s body also affect its top speed. A car with a more aerodynamic body will be able to achieve a higher top speed than a car with a less aerodynamic body.
In general, RC drift cars are capable of reaching high top speeds. However, the exact top speed that an RC drift car can reach will depend on the factors mentioned above.
Which one is the best for you – speed or handling?
To answer that question, it’s important to understand the difference between speed and handling. Speed is how fast your car can go in a straight line, while handling is how well your car can turn through corners.
Most RC drift cars are designed to slide around corners. This means that they might not be as fast as other types of RC cars. RC drift cars are built to balance out speed versus handling.
If you’re looking for an RC drift car that can reach high speeds, then you’ll want to choose a larger model with a powerful motor. However, if you’re more interested in how well the car handles and slides through turns, then you should focus on choosing a model with good suspension, a programmable ESC, and a sensored motor.
From my personal experience, programming the ESC and motor, along with the handling of a car, is more important than its top speed.
When testing out various RC drift cars, I prefer a car that can programmatically manage throttle through the corners than a car that can reach a higher max speed.
Others believe that top speed is the most important factor. They want to see how fast their cars can go, and they don’t care so much about how well it handles. If you are serious about drifting RC cars, I recommend a car that handles better and has a lower top speed.
Take a look at YouTube to see RC drifting in action. Most of the time, the cars are sliding around corners and keeping speeds low. Straight sections of the track are often short and don’t allow for reaching the cars max speed.
So, which is the best option for you? It really depends on what you’re looking for in an RC drift car. If you want a car that can go fast and take tight corners, then you should focus on choosing a model with a programmable ESC, a sensored motor, good suspension, and drifting tires. If you are interested in a fast car, a stadium truck might be more suitable for you.
FAQs For How Fast Are RC Drift Cars
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Can I modify an RC drift car to make it faster?
Final Thoughts on How fast are RC drift cars
So, how fast can RC drift cars go? It really depends on the model and make of the car. Some can reach speeds up to 70mph, while others may only be able to hit 30mph. Ultimately, it all comes down to the engine, ESC, and battery power. With that said, if you’re looking for a the best RC drift car, do your research and find one that has a programmable ESC and a sensored motor. You won’t be disappointed!
