6 Best Batteries for RC Car [2023] LiPo & NiMH

In this article, we’re going to go over RC car batteries, the types they come in, and how to decide which is right for your needs.

We got a lot to cover so let’s start.

First, let us take a look at six of the best RC batteries on the market, just to give you an idea on what you could get for your RC car.

The 6 Best Batteries For An RC Cars

	Model	Type	Volts	mAh	Discharge Rate	How Long Will It Hold A Charge
#1	HRB 3S RC Battery	LiPo	11.1V	5000mAh	50c – 100c	Approximately40 minutes
#2	Zeee 2S Hard Case	LiPo	7.4V	5200mAh	50c	Approximately 25 minutes
#3	Floureon 2S Hard Case	LiPo	7.4V	5200mAh	30c	Approximately 25 minutes
#4	Venom 2S Hard Case	LiPo	7.4V	5000mAh	20c	Approximately 30 minutes
#5	Gens ace 3S 3 Cell LiPo	LiPo	11.1V	5000mAh	50c	Approximately 35 minutes
#6	Youme3S Battery Pack	LiPo	11.1V	5000mAh	50c – 100c	Approximately 45 minutes

Quick Review Of The Top 6 Batteries

For your consideration, these are six reviews of the six best RC car batteries on the market.

1. HRB 3S RC Battery (the BEST battery for RC car): This battery has a decent amount of longevity, can handle some hard running, but you can get the motor a little toasty when running a bit too hard. Its biggest advantage is its battery life. Definitely a good battery for a moderate run, and an affordable one at that.

2. Zeee 2S Hard Case: The Zeee 2S is a cheaper battery, and it shows with the rather flimsy case, but it’s still not as fragile as some of the other cheap RC batteries on the market. The battery life is a little less than you’d hope for, but it’s still nothing to scoff at. This battery is definitely worth what you pay, and for one of the cheapest, it’s one of the best.

3. Floureon 2S Hard Case: With 2S power that is perfect for brushless systems, this battery does truly impress. Sure, the battery life is on par with the Zeee 2S Hard Case, but when it comes to quality and durability, the longevity will give you many more hours of play. This is a must buy.

4. Venom 2S Hard Case: Even when paired with a brushed motor and put under a decent amount of stress, this battery performs better than you’d expect. The battery doesn’t get too hot when subjected to strain, and it still keeps trucking until around half an hour has passed! Definitely worth the money you spend.

5. Gens Ace 3S 3 Cell LiPo: This battery comes with a long battery life, even when racing on a track at high speeds! Even more impressively, it packs huge acceleration, which is perfect for that extra edge on the track. All around, this battery is one of the top tier performers, and it’s earned its place as one of the best.

6. Youme 3S Battery Pack: Long battery life and durability are this battery’s main advantages. This battery is able to withstand long, hard falls and keep going strong for the duration of the battery life. The only setback for this battery is that you have to solder the plug on your own, but if you’re fine with that, then this battery is for you.

Our Pick For Best LiPo Battery For RC Cars

Before we reveal our pick for best RC battery, let’s go into what our criteria is for the best.

We’re looking for long battery life, a long lifespan, high power, and durability.

With that out of the way, let’s reveal what our pick for best battery is!

Our pick for the best LiPo RC car battery – The Gens Ace Bashing Pro 11.1V 100C 3S 8000mah LiPo Battery Pack.

This battery packs some serious power with a C rating of 100c – 200c. Not to mention that this battery sports a silicone case along with PC materials, so it can take a beating and still keep trucking, just like any good battery should!

It should also be noted that this battery’s runtime is fairly long, giving you plenty of time to enjoy your RC car and not have to worry about the fun being cut short.

Our Pick For Best NiMH Battery For RC Cars

For this pick, the same criteria for the best LiPo battery also applies here.

So, let’s dive in!

Our pick for the best NiMH battery – The Melasta 8.4V 4200mAh NiMH Battery.

This battery provides 42 amps of max discharge, sports an extended runtime, and will keep going strong after several charges!

For an NiMH battery, this one will not only give you plenty of time to have all the fun you need, but it will also outlast most other NiMH batteries and run circles around them.

RC Model Battery Types

Knowing the difference between battery types is important in deciding which is best for your RC car.

Even if you know what are considered to be the best batteries, knowing what is right for your needs is even more important.

• NiMH batteries – common in RTR (Ready-To-Run) RC cars. NiMH batteries are composed of a series of cylindrical cells, and come together to form a pack.
  As the pack is discharged, it loses voltage over a period of time. You will begin to notice the gradual loss of speed in your RC car as the voltage is depleted.

• LiPo batteries – more often sold separately from RTRs than NiMH batteries. LiPo batteries, unlike NiMH batteries, are able to maintain their voltage for longer as the pack is drained, which gives it that feeling of power that they’ve come to be known for.

• Li-Ion batteries – they are the same kind of batteries that are in most of the electronic appliances around your house.
  They are popular due to their long battery life and their high density of energy, but also due to their compactness, which is a big reason for their use in RC cars.

How Should You Choose The Best Battery For Your RC Car

In choosing between NiMH, LiPo, or Li-Ion, it is important to take into account the type of activity you plan on doing with your RC car.

So, which battery should you choose?

LiPo batteries are some of the most common for those of you who like to go bashing and like to do it frequently.
This is due to their fast recharge rate and the amount of voltage they provide. Although, LiPo batteries can be sensitive, so it’s best to maintain them with the proper care they require.

NiMH batteries are most commonly used in the context of regular, moderate run. However, NiMH batteries will gradually deteriorate with frequent hard running, and so it is a wise decision to go easy and not traverse too much rough terrain while using a NiMH battery.

Li-Ion batteries are reliable, but lack the same kind of power that many people like you and I have come to enjoy from hobby-grade RC batteries.
Furthermore, Li-Ion batteries will swell more often than the others, and this is due to being improperly maintained and/or stored. However, Li-Ion batteries will deteriorate slower than the last two batteries mentioned here.

How Long Will A 5000mAh LiPo, NiMH, and Li-Ion Battery Last?

For some of you, this question may plague you to no end.

How can you know how long a 5000mAh LiPo, NiMH, or Li-Ion battery lasts for?

Well…

A 5000mAh LiPo battery can last up to 20 – 25 minutes, but this all depends on your usage.
If you constantly run your RC car on rough terrain, you can expect the battery life to be lower than if you were to run your RC car on a smooth track or pavement.

What about NiMH and Li-Ion batteries?

Both 5000mAh NiMH and Li-Ion batteries should last about the same amount of time that the LiPo battery does.
The differences aren’t significant enough to be noteworthy, but pushing every battery hard will have a significant impact on how long their battery life will be.

Better Batteries Will Make Your RC Car Faster

Some of you may be under the impression that certain batteries can enable you to tear up terrain at ferocious speeds more than others.

Well, you would be right!

One of the fastest and most commonly used types of battery is the LiPo, which is often used by those of you who love to go fast and push your RC car to the maximum limit.

LiPo batteries pack a sizeable punch, and when you’re running a LiPo enabled RC car, you can really feel the difference between a LiPo and most other batteries.

What Are The Industry Standard Batteries?

You may have wondered what the industry standard batteries are.

After all, knowing the industry standards for RC car batteries will give you a better idea of what to expect when searching for RC batteries, and also what to expect when purchasing an RTR RC car.

For the vast majority of manufacturers, whether they are creating RTRs or kits, LiPo batteries are their go-to for high power and peak performance. LiPo batteries have cemented their place in the industry as the standard for RC cars.

What RC Battery Lasts The Longest

For long, exciting sessions with your RC car, finding the longest lasting RC car battery is key.

However, which is the longest lasting? Which battery holds this prestigious title?

The Zeee 7.4V 8000mAh 2S Hard Case LiPo is the longest lasting RC battery on the market. It’s lightweight, is fully capable of safe, yet fast discharge, and has high energy storage.

If you’re in the market for something that will give you lots of fun for long periods of time, this RC battery is the one for you.

It’s Best To Maintain Your LiPo Battery Properly

If you want to continue to have a great time with your LiPo enabled RC car, then learning how to take care of it is absolutely essential.

First off, let’s tackle how to store your LiPo batteries.

• When storing your LiPo batteries, you must avoid storing two or more loose batteries in the same space, as the terminals on the batteries may come in contact with each other, causing a short circuit. This will render your batteries useless.

• Storing your LiPo batteries in extreme temperatures is never a good idea. Always make sure that you store your LiPo batteries in a space that is around 15F – 75F. You can exceed the temps a little, but be cautious.

• Before storing your LiPo batteries, never store them while inside of an RC model. Always disconnect your batteries and store them in a space that isn’t conductive and is not at risk of being caught on fire or exposed to extreme heat.

Now, let’s cover the activities that you should avoid when handling your LiPo battery.

Avoid getting your LiPo battery excessively wet, as this can cause the terminals to corrode, which will render your battery completely useless.

If your LiPo battery stops working for any reason, never dispose of your batteries in a fire, as this is a very hazardous activity. The fumes of the burning battery are highly toxic. Instead, completely discharge your LiPo battery, so that if it gets punctured, it won’t burst into flames. After this, recycle your broken LiPo battery at a local recycling facility.

Avoid puncturing your LiPo battery in any way, as this can cause the battery to catch on fire, which will lead to a possible house fire or forest fire, and the fumes could also possibly hospitalize anyone who breathes too much of them.

Conclusion

When it comes to RC batteries, things can get complicated, but from all we’ve gone over today, what would you say that we learned?

In summary, we’ve learned that the type of RC battery that you choose is vital to the performance of your RC car.

Knowing what voltage they have, what mAh they possess, and how long they last can make a world of difference, in terms of the performance of your RC car, as well as the fun you get out of it.

We’ve learned that LiPo batteries are an industry standard, and for good reason. We’ve also learned that LiPo batteries are ideal for bashing, and this is due to their fast recharge rate and the amount of voltage they provide.

We’ve learned that NiMH batteries are good for moderate RC usage, and will deteriorate faster over time with rough usage.

We’ve learned that Li-Ion batteries aren’t as powerful or as durable as the other two batteries that we discussed, but also won’t deteriorate as fast as the other two batteries.

The fact that we’ve gained some knowledge today means that you, if you’re a beginner, are a few steps closer to becoming a pro, and that’s always something to get excited about!

As we now bring our talk to a close, we hope that you make the choice that’s right for you, and we wish you the happiest of racing!