Why do you think Tamiya still uses brushed motors as stock?

[Wooders28]

On 3/31/2025 at 7:41 PM, Kowalski86 said:

Even if Tamiya threw in a brushless setup, it wouldn't fit in with the ever changing racing classes

Race classes have stayed pretty much the same, since I started racing back in the 80's! (Think the on-road have blinky though) 

2wd, 4wd and trucks (although trucks have changed a bit 😏, and you could add 'Vintage' but you can run those with the 2 or 4wd anyway)

 

On 3/31/2025 at 8:19 PM, LMF5000 said:

You can run them on nuclear power

Oh that would be cool!

Keep the look of the Turbine cars of the 60's 👌

"How many miles to the tank?" 

"About 30yrs".....🤣

 

On 4/1/2025 at 5:58 PM, Rookie Rabbit said:

Tamiya's R/C cars are designed for leisure use, brushed electric motors are the better choice.

Brushless motors (and lipo..)  actually make their cars go aswell as their 80's promo vids suggested!

(Ie, Without the need to be thrown off a dune...)

[SlideWRX]

I can't add much to this; much has already been explained/discussed on either side of the various issues.  I will only add that most other rc car companies currently sell brushed motor rcs as well - Traxxas, Arrma, Team Associated, Kyosho, and many chines brands and I expect others all sell brushed models, often with a NiMH battery.  To a company, Cost is king.  They build to a spec - if the cheaper brushed/NiMH meets target, there is no reason to go more powerful.  In fact, going more powerful requires more development time, more durability assessment, possibly more cost to more parts to accommodate the extra power, later release date (lost revenue).  Some of them offer both on the same chassis, so either it was designed/validated initially with the brushless in mind, or validated later that the brushless was ok (with or without changes).

And a random note on the power grid and whether it can support charging cars, it doesn't really need more capacity.  Search for a 'duck curve' to see how demand peaks in the evening, and beyond that there is a lot less demand overnight, when most cars would be charging.  Electric cars connected to the grid could actually contribute power to the few peak hours of demand and then get it back later to flatten out the power demand.  In reality though, home solar power/batteries should fix it too.  Adding solar/batteries to your house (at least single family dwellings) should be an investment that literally gives you free energy in less than 10 years, at current solar prices, pretty much even without net metering or subsidies.  Even in Northern states in the US the break even is less than 15 years for it.  I live in a forested area, otherwise I would have solar panels.  I've considered a small patch where I do get 'good enough' light and a small battery just because we seem to loose power a lot when ever a strong storm rolls through.

Anyway, good discussion!