Every year, as holiday time approaches the search term “RC Cars” runs right through the roof and keeps on going. What is interesting is that the trend continues through January as well. The assumption is clear. The intended gift recipient either gets an RC car for the holidays or gets money that they spend on RC cars. This is a very popular form of remote control vehicle. The reasons for this are simple. The RC plane was the only real popular form of the RC vehicle hobby for a very long time. The motor technology was enough to get a small lightweight model airplane in the air because there was the added lift of the wings.
However, to put the same engine in a model car and it would barely move due to the drag of the tires on the ground. Over time, Model Airplane Engines and small engine technology advanced to the point where the power was available and RC cars came of age. The other reason is that for most young people, learning how to control a model airplane is daunting. They want the fun and excitement of the hobby but not the perceived difficulty and responsibility of an RC plane. The RC car soon became a runaway hobby. It is much easier to control a model car on the ground (Not in the street, of course) than a plain in the air.
The Fast Lane
Most of the RC cars that are sold today are lower cost, electrically powered models. They are simple to mass manufacture and their lower cost results in them being very, very popular at Christmas time. Their performance can be relatively good as compared to older models because of the use of lower weight materials, advances in battery performance and better electric motors. Some of these cars are actually fast and very maneuverable.
The next step up is the gas RC cars. These are obviously faster than their electric motor counterparts are, but they also last longer; however, no battery technology can match the energy storage potential of a liquid fuel tank. The result is an RC car that is faster and can be enjoyed for longer between stops. Speed is the more attractive of the attributes but maneuverability and control responsiveness rank very high as well. After all, it is boring to run an RC car back and forth in a parking lot without a few spinouts or drifts, right?
