Nitro vs Electric RC Cars – Which one is better?

The debate rages on with nitro VS electric RC cars, trucks, buggies, and truggies. It’s not a simple case of which is better—it’s more to do with personal preference. These models are poles apart in several ways, and each type has its loyal following. This guide explains those differences with an easy-to-understand breakdown. That includes the advantages, attractions, and any negatives.

I also include 6 short reviews, 3 for electric cars and 3 for nitro. These are all current favorites that illustrate the points raised here. I order each review section as Best Budget, Best Value, and the Top Pick. This way you get to see what each price category has to offer.

About My ‘Nitro Vs. Electric RC Cars’ Guide

Each model has a separate section to avoid bouncing from one type to the other. The format for both nitro and electric models is the same so that the comparisons are clear, i.e.

1. Model design
2. Price tags and running costs
3. Performance & handling
4. Running time
5. Maintenance
6. Repairs & upgrades
7. Durability

The Pros and Cons of a Nitro RC Car

The next section looks at nitro-powered RC cars using the points above, followed by 3 mini-reviews. Feel free to skip to the reviews if you already know the differences between these models.

Nitro RC car designs

Nitro-powered RC cars have more complex designs than their electric counterparts. Enthusiasts love this complexity, though, as it gives them access to the vehicles inner workings. Tuning engines, modifying performance, and adapting sounds are all part of the thrill. The relationship between owners and their gas-powered cars is an intimate one.

Design cons: You can’t run a nitro car safely indoors on bad weather days. They’re too big, too powerful, too noisy, emit toxic fumes, and carry highly flammable fuel.

Price and running costs of nitro RC cars

Nitro RC models generally cost more than electric vehicles. It’s not only about purchase price either. You need to refuel the tank regularly, and then there are maintenance costs. Most nitro fans like to upgrade their vehicles as well. Replacing stock parts can add a significant amount to the initial price. Some models need starter packs, batteries, and chargers as well.

Performance and handling

The versatile performance and handling of nitro RC cars is their main attraction. What you see is not what you’re stuck with. Being able to customize and fine-tune these models is half the fun. Users can tweak and upgrade just about everything on the car if they want to. They’re fast too, most with incredible acceleration and top speeds from 35 to 60+ mph.

Performance and handling cons: Nitro cars need lots of attention. Owners must always maintain their engines and make sure that all moving parts are working and secure.

Nitro car running times

How long these cars run for depends on a few factors. One is the size of the fuel tank that typically ranges from 75cc to 125cc. The latter size should give 25+ minutes per tank of gas. Faster, more aggressive driving results in shorter running times. Engine tuning can also have an impact on play time. A well-tuned engine is going to give you a longer run than one that’s out of sync.

You must wait for the battery to recharge when an electric car runs out of power. Either that or swap batteries. That can be easy or fiddly depending on the model. Nitro cars only need a fuel top up.

Maintaining the vehicle

Nitro cars need regular maintenance and repairs, and that takes knowledge and skill. Failure to maintain and repair weak or damaged parts will bring any model to its sudden death. The cleaner the car, the longer it lasts and the better it runs. Regular maintenance involves things like cleaning air and fuel filters and checking the glow plug, etc. Rotating the tires is another job for the checklist.

Screws and other parts can come loose and thus need routine checks. Others are the differentials, shocks, drive pulleys, drive belts, ball bearings, and more besides.

Repairs and upgrades

Things occasionally break, either through wear and tear or from accidents. Problems with nitro RC cars are quite easy to diagnose despite the complex designs. After all, there’s only so much that can go wrong. Repairing a damaged part, though, is something else. Sometimes the broken bit is beyond repair and needs replacing. That can be cheap or costly depending on the piece.

Stock parts are usually weaker than custom upgrades. All nitro RC car owners should learn how to fix or replace broken components. Most people swap the cheaper stock parts with higher-quality ones. The choice of upgradable parts depends on the type of vehicle and user expectations.

Nitro car durability

Durability between nitro RC cars differs between model types and brands. It’s no different to electric RC cars in that regard. However, the resilience and crash-resistance of a nitro model are not only about build and materials. It’s also about maintenance. Poor maintenance can result in a vehicle that’s more prone to breakage. Note that most RC nitro models are not waterproof. Many electric cars are.

All manufacturer’s sales pages promote models as being highly-durable, especially the chassis. The only way to find out for sure is to ask the community. By that, I mean a dedicated RC forum with seasoned nitro fans and not customer reviews on shopping sites.

Nitro RC Car Reviews

The reviews below are for 3 formidable RC nitro models. No RC nitro vehicle is perfect, though. I point out where they fall short as well as the areas they shine. There’s also a quick breakdown of pros, cons, and the main tech specs. They include things like scale, engine, and fuel tank capacity, etc.

The Pros & Cons of an Electric RC Car

Below is a breakdown for electric RC cars. Here you can read about the distinct differences between these battery-powered models and their nitro counterparts.

Electric RC car designs

The design of an electric RC car is much simpler when compared to nitro models. The main difference is that it has a motor instead of an engine. They don’t need detailed pre-race checks or regular maintenance like gas-powered vehicles. It is possible to modify hobby-grade models with better motors, batteries, and parts. There’s usually more plastic used in electric cars than nitro.

Price and running costs of electric RC cars

Electric radio-controlled vehicles tend to cost less than gas-driven models. That includes the initial price and running costs. One thing that electric RC fans often invest in is extra batteries. They can be cheap or expensive depending on the brand and type. The most popular models come ready-to-run (RTR). That means the product has everything in the box with nothing extra to buy.

Performance and handling

One of the main attractions of nitro RC cars has always been power and speed. However, some electric models can now match nitro cars in power, performance, and handling. A battery-powered car called the ‘Radio Controlled Bullet’ set a new world record on October 25, 2014. This beast reached a top speed of 202.02 mph (325.12 km/h) in Saint George, Utah, USA.

Out of the box, though, most battery RC cars are still slower than their nitro-counterparts. You can expect speeds of around 20–30 mph, but there are faster options at the higher end. The gap continues to close between the models, but the experience will always be different.

Electric car running times

Running times vary a lot for electric RC cars, and are generally shorter than RC nitro models. They can range from 10 minutes to 30+ minutes on a single charge. There are also charging times to consider. How long that takes depends on the model, battery, and charger. Charging can be as short as 45 minutes up to several hours with some brands. It’s why most RC’ers buy extra batteries.

Point to note: It’s advisable to allow time for the motors to cool down between battery swaps.

Maintaining the vehicle

Electric RC cars, trucks, buggies, and truggies have fewer parts than their nitro equals. They are also much cleaner. There are still a few parts to check periodically. They include things like suspension, chassis, and servos, etc. The vehicle’s tires will also need changing sometimes.

Repairs and upgrades

Repairing hobby-grade RC electric cars is a simple case of swapping the old for the new. It may not be possible to fix some toy-grade models such is their design. Upgrading components of a quality car is straightforward for those with a little experience. Modular designs give quick and easy access to all the essential parts. It’s a much cleaner and more straightforward process than with nitro RCs.

Point to note: Always make sure spares are readily available before buying an electric RC car.

Electric RC car durability

Electric RC cars are similar in durability to nitro models, especially those that use metal parts. One advantage they have over nitro RC vehicles is water-proofing. Driving on wet terrains, through puddles, or across snow provides a more realistic experience. Some creative nitro fans semi-waterproof their models, but it’s nowhere near as efficient.

Durability is as much about the strength of the chassis and components as it is the outer shells. Neither electric nor nitro is indestructible, so always make sure spares are readily available.

Electric RC Car Reviews

Below are 3 reviews of electric RC cars. These are some of this year’s favorite models. Car types and prices are personal choices, but be sure to check out the smaller details. My reviews give a quick breakdown of the essential data. That includes scale size, dimensions, weight, RC range, running times, type of battery, and charging times. I also list the pros and cons of each product.

The Conclusion

That concludes our short guide on Nitro Vs. Electric RC vehicles. It’s a different style of RC racing even when the scale size and models are similar in design. Electric is clean, low maintenance, and relatively quiet. Nitro is loud, dirty, and needs constant maintenance and tweaks. That’s one of its attractions—for some. If nitro RC sounds like too much work for you, then you know where your interest lies.