Some questions will forever go unanswered: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Who decided Anna Nicole should have her own reality show? Who told Bob those shorts looked good on him? Yes, these answers may remain a mystery for years to come. Right now, however, we are going to tackle one question that is asked every bit as frequently. Which is better, nitro or electric?

This is not going to be easy, and I can’t even guarantee a definitive answer. What I plan to do, however, is point out some of the pros and cons of these two types of RC vehicles in the hopes of providing you with enough information so that making your own choice will be easier.

We decided that a fun way to do this would be to find a couple of guys with no RC experience and hand them each a new Tamiya XB (Expert Built) RTR on-road car. One will be electric and the other nitro. (Didn’t see that coming, did you?) Mike and Patrick are local eighth graders who have had an interest in RC but until now haven’t had the opportunity to see what it’s all about. To say that they were excited to help me out with this would be an understatement.

[A]
While I was preparing the camera to take photos of the Tamiya vehicles in their cool packaging, the guys had already started tearing open the boxes. So much for the pretty product shot. But Mike (right) and Patrick looked like me on Christmas morning as they frantically searched for something to cut the cable ties securing the cars in their boxes.

[B]
Mike chose the nitro powered Tamiya Audi A4 DTM-XBG Ready to Run (RTR) on-road car. This 4WD car uses the TG10 platform and features a .12 size engine, oil damper units and four-wheel independent suspension. The Exspec radio gear is pre-installed. Tamiya’s polycarbonate bodies feature so much detail you almost hate to actually use them.

The nitro version requires just a couple of items not included in the box to get it up and running—batteries for the transmitter and receiver, and nitro fuel.

[C]
The electric Tamiya Audi A4 DTM-XB ended up on Patrick’s lap. The RTR car is based on the TT-01 chassis platform, which means he can find plenty of tips and tricks online through various forums that follow the Tamiya TCS races. It features a 4WD shaft-driven setup, a Tamiya electronic speed control (ESC), and a 540 motor. It runs on a 7.2-volt stick pack. The body is pretty much identical to the nitro version.

To get the electric version on the road, Patrick needs a six-cell, 7.2-volt stick battery with a charger and batteries for the transmitter.

[D]
Preliminary setup is comparable for both nitro and electric cars. These two kits required the installation of batteries in the transmitters, but the nitro car also requires batteries for the receiver. The electric car’s receiver will be running off the primary stick pack. Whichever power choice you make, don’t be surprised if little brother and big brother want in on the action. Be especially nice to little brother because soon you will need someone to retrieve a car with a dead battery or empty fuel tank from 50 yards away.

[E]
Patrick had the foresight to charge his battery the night before so he is ready to drop it in the car and go. A benefit of electric power is knowing that when you plug in a fresh battery you’re pretty sure the car is going to go like it’s supposed to. A nitro vehicle’s engine could require retuning on each outing.

[F]
While Patrick has begun his RC fun making laps around the parking lot, Mike is going through the engine break-in instructions again before firing up the car’s engine for the first time. Nitro engines require a critical engine break-in period for the first few tanks of fuel, and you have to avoid putting a full squeeze on the throttle. This break-in step can really try your patience. The urge to let it rip is great, but rushing through this step can shorten the lifespan of your engine.

[G]
Now Mike is ready to breathe life into the O.S. .12 engine. Preparing a nitro vehicle for action is a bit more involved than the electric. You need to be sure you have a fresh battery in your glow igniter and fresh fuel in the bottle. The engine needs to be primed and the glow igniter is secured to the glow plug while you pull the starter cord to fire the engine. Then you need to grab the transmitter and blip the throttle to keep the carb cleared so you have time to get the car on the course. Electric is a plug and play deal. As long as the batteries in the transmitter and in the car are charged, you just plug in the batteries, turn on the electronics and squeeze the trigger. Doesn’t get much simpler.

[H]
Patrick is still doing laps, getting used to the controls and generally just having fun while Mike, on the other hand…

[I]
…is discovering that the pipe spews out unspent oils all over the nice blacktop parking lot as it sits idling through a break-in tank of fuel. This is not always a big deal, but is something you need to be aware of if you decide to go nitro. It can get messy. When driving a nitro car, the slime that you see on the parking lot is sprayed over the rear of the vehicle on the side with the pipe. Dirt just loves to stick to anything that has been bathed in nitro fuel. Electric cars can usually be blown off with an air compressor.

[J]
Finally…some wheel time.

Mike gets to drive in circles at no more than half throttle for a few tanks.

WEEEEEeeeeeee.

[K]
Break-in is complete, and Mike gets to lean out the high-end needle to add some kick to the nitro car.

This is when your patience will pay off.

Once you get a feel for the sound, smell and handling of a nitro engine, the testosterone kicks in, and you find yourself screaming out, “Yeah, baby! THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about.”

[L]
Now that Mike is ready to rock, Patrick’s car has begun to slow drastically as the battery pack begins to dump. It’s a waiting game for Patrick, now; his battery pack takes up to 30 minutes or more to recharge. And Mike just continues to refill the tank. A few spare battery packs are in order to keep the fun rolling.

[M]
Now, with both vehicles refreshed and looking for action, the two decide to drag race across the parking lot.

Notice that Patrick’s car on the right shot off the line and quickly left Mike’s in the dust. Instant torque is another benefit of electric motors. Soon Mike’s car gets up to speed and…

[N]
…easily outruns the electric car.

The top end of the nitro will ultimately put it ahead of the electric provided you have enough distance to catch up and pass.

[O]
All that refilling of the fuel tank will eventually lead to an empty fuel bottle. While Mike contemplates how he might convince dad to buy him more fuel, Patrick has charged his battery and gets to put a few more laps under his belt.

[P]
At the day’s end, a little maintenance is order for both vehicles. Patrick gets to take his semi clean electric vehicle into his nice warm house and can sit at the dining room table to check for any issues needing attention. Poor Mike is out in the chilly garage with his fuel and dirt covered car. Oil dripping on the carpet would not go over well with Mom.

CONCLUSION

I don’t know just how helpful you found this, but we had a lot of fun putting it together. And I am not positive, but I may have gotten two more souls hooked on RC. The bottom line is neither is better than the other across the board, although one, rather than the other, may be better for you. Only you can figure that one out. Personally, I go back and forth between nitro and electric. Some days, I don’t want to mess with the grit and grime of nitro, and others, I crave the sound, smell and raw power. The real answer here is to get one of each. Wasn’t that simple?

Links

Tamiya America Inc., www.tamiyausa.com, (800) 826-4922

For more information, please see the source guide in the magazine.

Return to the sample articles page