Electric RC Cars/Trucks/Motorcycles

Electric Radio Control Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles

Enjoy racing in your own backyard or at a local course with an electric RC car, truck, or motorcycle. Choose a kit and build it your way or opt for an RTR model from renowned brands like Traxxas, HPI, Losi, Team Associated, and Duratrax. Maintain and customize your car with a broad assortment of replacement parts and aftermarket upgrades.

RC stands for radio control or remote control. An RC car, truck, buggy, or other vehicle can range from toy-grade to high-performance machines used in competitive racing. Electric RC vehicles are powered by one or more rechargeable batteries. Power is sent to a motor, and the remote control unit communicates via receiver with an electronic speed control in order to manipulate throttle.

An RTR RC truck, car, or buggy is ready to run when you take it out of the packaging. You may need to attach a battery and body shell, but little assembly is required. This is only one option for RC cars. You can also choose a kit, which can range from a partial to total build. Intended for experienced enthusiasts, kits give hobbyists a level of control over their cars and trucks from the outset.

Scale is a size measurement used to categorize RC trucks and cars. The 1:10 scale is prevalent at the enthusiast level, but toy-grade RTR cars are often much smaller. If you’re choosing an RC vehicle for your own casual enjoyment, it’s all a matter of preference. If competitive racing is in your future, then you should opt for the scale preferred by your local course or that particular racing segment at large.

An RTR RC car or truck from a leading brand like Traxxas is ready to run and thus has everything you need to get started. Electric RC car kits are aimed at enthusiasts who often already have many RC-related accessories. Carefully check the packaging since you may be required to provide:

• An ESC
• Batteries
• Servos
• A transmitter
• A receiver

Your handheld transmitter will communicate with a receiver on your car. The receiver is connected to the servos, which control steering, and the ESC, which controls the throttle. Pressing the trigger will provide power to the car, and rotating the steering knob will turn the car left and right as it’s racing.