A British engineer has redesigned a radio-controlled car in a radically simple way and set a new recognized top-speed record of 234.71 mph (377.8 km/h) at a sanctioned speed event in Wales, far exceeding previous benchmarks for RC cars, tells New Atlas. The vehicle, dubbed The Beast, was built by hobbyist Stephen Wallis, who applied multicopter drone concepts to rethink fundamental aspects of RC car design. Wallis’ approach eliminates traditional mechanical steering and complex transmissions by using four high-speed motors, each driving a wheel and controlled much like a quadcopter’s props. The integrated flight-control system, which includes accelerometers and gyroscopes, manages stability and direction at high speeds, helping The Beast stay straight and stable even in challenging weather conditions.
For the record attempt, Wallis equipped The Beast with an unusually powerful battery setup: three six-cell (6S) packs in series for a total of 75.6 volts, a configuration uncommon in typical RC speed cars. He also reduced tire diameter slightly to minimize excess rotating mass and lessen foam separation at extreme velocity. Those design choices helped the car achieve its high speed despite rain and poor visibility on the day of the run.
The previous record for officially timed RC car runs was just over 200 mph in sanctioned events, and The Beast not only surpassed that mark but did so by a significant margin. Only a handful of RC cars in history had exceeded 200 mph before this new benchmark.
Wallis’ success shows that unconventional thinking, borrowing control concepts from aerial drones and focusing on simplicity, can yield major performance gains in ground vehicles at the scale of hobbyist engineering. It also highlights the vibrant community and ongoing innovation in speed-oriented remote-controlled vehicles.