RC cars are controlled using transmitters that send commands to the car’s receiver. 2.4 GHz frequency is the most common radio frequency used these days to control RC cars. And a question many RC enthusiasts and hobbyists usually ask is about how fast 2.4 GHz controlled RC cars are.
Lower priced RC cars with a 2.4 GHz frequency can reach speeds of 10-35 mph, depending on the model. Higher priced 2.4 GHz RC vehicles can reach a top speed of 50-70 mph while modified RC cars can reach speeds as high as 100 mph The speed of 2.4 GHz RC cars depend on price and manufacturer.
An RC car, after receiving information from a transmitter, sends information to the steering and other components of the car.
This allows you to control the RC car. One of the main advantages of 2.4 GHz frequency is that it allows you to control multiple cars at the same time without the need to manually change frequencies.
You just need to pair the transmitter and the car’s receiver. After you do this, no other radio equipment can interfere with the functioning of the RC car.
In the article, you’ll be learning what 2.4 GHz means and how this affects the speed of RC cars.
What does 2.4 GHz mean for RC cars?
It’s obvious that there needs to be some kind of connection between a device and a remote It is through this connection that information will be sent and received.
Your RC car’s remote has a transmitter while the car itself has a receiver. And both the transmitter and receiver use radio or infrared to send and receive information.
Hertz (Hz) or Gigahertz (GHz) is used to refer to the frequency of radio used to control RC cars.
2.4 GHz radio band has become very popular over the years and is now one of the most commonly used radio frequencies in the world.
It is used in printers, thermostats, light bulbs, irrigation controllers, hubs, gaming consoles, PCs, and so on.
One of the reasons behind the popularity of the 2.4 GHz band is that it allows you to control multiple cars from the same remote.
Let’s face it, it’s cool to control two different cars from a single remote. Another benefit of the 2.4 GHz band is that this frequency is less susceptible to interference by other radio devices.
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You should know that intercompatibility between transmitters does not exist, at least not yet.
The current crop of transmitters can only be used with receivers that come from the same manufacturer. Transmitters and receivers for hobbyists RC cars tend to be slower while those of racing RC cars are generally designed to be faster.
Thanks to the advancement In radio technology, the 2.4 GHz band has a very good range, which could be up to hundreds of meters in open spaces. And this is another reason behind the use of 2.4 GHz frequency in RC cars.
While 2.4 GHz are less susceptible to interference than earlier radio and infrared bands used in RC cars, interference can still occur especially if you are indoors.
The possibility of interference even increases if you are using other devices that use 2.4 GHz frequency such as printers, WLAN access points, and so on. In fact, there are many devices in our homes that use the 2.4 GHz frequency.
Related article: How Far Can An RC Car Go?
A way to reduce interference in 2.4 GHz controlled RC cars is to use/buy high quality and interference-free equipment.
This means buying your RC car or radio equipment from a reliable brand.
By doing this, you’ll be reducing the possibility of the signal from the transmitter being interfered with when travelling to the receiver.
How Fast Is A 2.4 GHz for remote-controlled cars?
This is the burning question, especially for first time RC cars buyers. It’s normal to want to know how fast an RC car you want to buy can travel.
Some manufacturers will specify the maximum speed of their RC cars while others will avoid specifying how fast their RC cars can travel. The reason for this is that the top speed of an RC car depends on a number of factors.
You can still find the speed of your RC car though if the manufacturer doesn’t reveal it by using a speedometer.
You attach the speedometer to the car to know how fast it can travel. There is also the option of using a speed gun.
This speedgun by Bushnell on Amazon is ideal for measuring the speed of your RC car.
The size and price of a 2.4 GHz controlled RC car will largely determine its top speed.
The more expensive an RC car is, the faster it’ll be. The more affordable 2.4 GHz controlled RC cars can have a top speed between 10-35 mph.
The more pricey hobby 2.4 GHz controlled hobby RC cars can go faster, having top speed between 50-70 mph.
Some hobbyists modify their cars to achieve a top speed well over 100mph.
It’s extremely rare to buy RC cars with this incredible speed unless you modify your car. And I must mention that brushless motors make RC cars faster when compared to their brushed counterparts.
Factors that impact the speed of an RC car
Gearing
This is one of the most important factors that will determine how fast your RC car can travel. This is because the gearing of an RC car has an impact on both the speed and acceleration of the car.
There are two types of gear in an RC car – the pinion and the spur gear. Each or both of these gears can be modified to improve the performance of an RC car, and consequently, the speed.
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If you aren’t looking for a dramatic increase in the performance of your RC car, then the best option is to change the pinion gear. But if it is the other way round, you should change the spur gear or even both.
The sizes of the gears matter as the gear ratio will determine both the acceleration and speed of your car.
Having a smaller pinion gear and a bigger spur gear will result in a higher gear ratio and the result of this is increased acceleration and reduced speed.
On the other hand, if the pinion gear is bigger than the spur gear, there will be a lower gear ratio and the result is increased top speed and reduced acceleration.
So you should check the gear assembly of your RC car as well as the gear ratio if you intend to modify the gearbox.
You probably won’t have this option on toy-grade RC cars.
Size
This is another important factor that determines the speed of your RC car. The size of an RC car largely affects the acceleration of the car.
The bigger/heavier the speed of your car, the lower the acceleration of your car. This means you’ll need to find a balance between size and acceleration.
Motor
The type of motor that you have in your RC car determines how fast your RC car will be. There are two types of motors that can be used in RC cars – brushed and brushless motors.
These two motors have the same working principles. However, brushed motors have some friction which will lead to a slight reduction in top speed as some power will be needed to overcome the friction.
As a result, brushless motors will bring about more speed in RC cars. Also, brushless motors have the advantage of being more energy-efficient than brushed motors.
Brushless motors do not generate heat and also make less noise.
Batteries
The type of batteries used to power an RC car matters. It’s more common to see people using lithium-based or nickel-based batteries to power their RC cars. These batteries are good.
However, you’ll need to upgrade to lithium polymer batteries if you want more speed. Lithium polymer batteries have very low resistance and a higher runtime.
Surface
RC cars generally travel faster on smooth surfaces than on uneven surfaces. You have to put this in mind when testing your RC car for its top speed.
