YouTuber Builds Life-Size RC Buggy That Hits 60 MPH, Rips Mean Donuts
If you’ve ever wanted to shrink down inside an RC car and take it for a spin, this is as close as it gets.
Before we were old enough to drive, many of us sated our car obsession with RC buggies and other similar toys. It often led to a strong desire to shrink down and get behind the wheel for real. As it turns out, YouTuber Sur Ronster decided to make this dream a reality.
In his latest video, Sur Ronster reveals his electric buggy build. It's modeled after a typical RC buggy, complete with a ridiculous rear wing and long-travel suspension for soaking up bumps. The build was put together in partnership with Domo from SuprVolt, fabricated from scratch with a tube-frame chassis.
The buggy runs an Arctic Leopard 72-volt battery pack paired with a BAC8000 controller feeding into a motor from a Surron Storm Bee electric dirt bike. There's no word on power, but it's likely somewhere in the low-double-digit horsepower range. The Storm Bee electric bike makes 30 hp on a 90-volt battery, so it's making a touch less in this configuration. The buggy is also fitted with a drift-style handbrake which is useful for initiating slides.
The buggy looks ungainly at first, with weird positive camber on the front wheels. However, with a driver on board, it squats nicely into a mean stance. Since it's an EV, it's ready to go at a flip of a switch. All that's required is to mat the pedal and turn the wheel to lay down perfectly circular electric donuts. It's all down to the instant-on torque of the electric drive.
Notably, all that torque down low comes with a caveat: it's actually quite difficult to drive on its first outing. As noted in the video, it provides the same kind of rapid throttle response and out-of-control feeling as the RC toy it's inspired by.
We're also treated to a highly-illegal top-speed run on public roads; unlike many similar videos, this one wasn't filmed "in Mexico." The kart hits 60 mph in around 9 seconds when accelerating flat out. There's also footage of a drag race with the toy RC car. While the toy gets a hot start off the line, it simply can't keep up with its full-sized rival.
Behind the wheel of his electric buggy, Sur Ronster notes how compliant the suspension is, espousing the benefits over solid-frame electric karts. Driving around on the street, we also get to see just how reckless he really is. At one point, he contemplates drag racing a Toyota Camry. "Oh, it's an old lady. She's not gonna wanna race," he relents. After running out of battery, he gets a tow back to his workshop from a conveniently-located UTV owner.
Overall, it's a great build. In terms of creating a driveable, real-world version of an RC buggy, Sur Ronster and Domo absolutely hit the mark. We'd love to see it tearing up the dirt and hitting some jumps. In all honestly, that's probably a safer idea than hooning it around suburban streets at highway speeds.
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