I'm glade you made the topic. I am eagerly waiting for more and more news about production-level 1:8 brushless-cars... Piktor and Losi are already testing their prototype 1:8 electric buggies and there are many different conversion-kits out also. Caster has finished its buggy already and its coming out. They have gone public, so there must be at least one or two other big companies on the job!
It seems so that the new class will be Electric 1:8 Offroad Buggy. Haven't yet seen one truggy prototype from any manufacturer.
I really hope that Xray makes the move and develops electric conversion kit for XB808. Even today there are many conversions done all over the world. 100% electric buggy would be nice also for 2009-2010, but at the moment its a bit day-dreaming.
I will go electric as soon as there are more people doing the same thing. I think it might be as soon as winter 2008/2009 concerning club-races.
I don't think that raising cost of gasoline has anything to do with it. Nitro-fuel is sold with very high profit margins and I think you can buy it with the same price or even cheaper in 5 or 10 years. You can get cheap nitromethane and methanol even in Europe, the most expensive part of the fuel will be good oil.
The reasons for me to go electric:
- it costs almost the same to get electric buggy or ic buggy
- no mess with nitro-engine tuning, flame-outs, dead glow plugs
- no messy fuel and oil all over the place
- you don't have to get a new 300+ engine every 25-30 hours of driving
- no refueling needed so you don't need a friend in the pits during runs.
- overall cost is MUCH smaller with electric buggy
- you get more power and torque from electric brushless motors, too much
- you can concentrate on driving and forget about one big hassle, the nitro-engine.
The only problem I see at the moment is that there are no rules for 1:8 electric cars. But how wrong can you go when you take IC 1:8 car and put electric motor, esc and battery on it.
I have already sold all nitro airplanes to go 100% electric and hoping to do the same with the cars asap. I hope Xray makes the step and joins the companies producing electric 1:8