Brushed vs Brushless RC Motors: What’s the Real Difference?

If you’re new to RC cars, one of the first things you’ll notice is that some models come with brushed motors, while others feature brushless systems. The price difference can look confusing — why do some RC cars cost £60 while others cost £160, even when they look similar?

At The Truck Monster, we only stock hobby-grade RC cars that we’ve tested ourselves, so here’s a clear breakdown of the real differences, what they mean in the real world, and when each type makes sense.

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What Is a Brushed Motor?

A brushed motor is the “classic” RC motor design. Inside, brushes make physical contact with a spinning commutator to deliver power.

Pros of Brushed Motors:

• Simple and cheap

• Good for very young beginners

• Easy to replace

• Soft power delivery

Cons of Brushed Motors:

• Brushes wear out over time

• Run times are shorter

• Lots of heat build-up

• Much lower top speed

• Much less torque

• Not very efficient

Brushed motors are perfect for toy-grade RC cars — but they’re heavily outclassed in proper hobby-grade performance.

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What Is a Brushless Motor?

A brushless motor uses no physical brushes inside. Instead, it uses magnets and electronic control to deliver smooth, efficient power.

This means:

• No friction

• No wear

• No overheating issues

• Far more power

Pros of Brushless Motors:

• Much faster acceleration

• Higher top speeds

• Longer runtimes

• Lower heat

• Better torque

• Much longer lifespan

• No maintenance required

Cons of Brushless Motors:

• Slightly more expensive

• Requires a proper ESC

But the difference in performance is enormous — even a cheap brushless setup outperforms a high-end brushed system.

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Real-World Speed Differences

If you’re wondering what this means on grass, gravel or tarmac, here’s the rough comparison:

• A brushed RC car typically hits 15–25 km/h

• A brushless RC car of the same size reaches 45–65 km/h

This is why so many of the models at The Truck Monster use brushless systems — especially MJX trucks, which offer ridiculous performance for the money.

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Durability: Why Brushless Wins Every Time

Brushed motors physically wear down. You can expect:

• Diminishing power over weeks or months

• More heat over time

• Brushes burning out

• Motors needing replacement

Brushless motors have no internal friction parts, so they stay powerful and smooth for years.

This is why hobby-grade RC cars almost always use brushless now — the difference in longevity is night and day.

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Cooling & Efficiency

Brushed motors convert lots of energy into heat. That means:

• Shorter runtimes

• More battery stress

• Less consistent performance

Brushless motors run cool and efficient, giving you:

• Up to 30–40% longer runtimes

• Less strain on LiPo batteries

• Full power for the entire run

This is especially noticeable with 2S and 3S batteries.

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Maintenance: Brushed Needs It, Brushless Doesn’t

Brushed motors need:

• Brushes replaced

• Commutators cleaned

• Heat management monitored

Brushless motors need:

• Nothing

• Just drive

If you want something that simply works every time you plug in a battery, brushless is the way to go.

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Price: The Real Reason Brushless Has Taken Over

Years ago, brushless used to be expensive.
But not anymore.

Brands like MJX have brought brushless prices crashing down. Today:

• Toy-grade brushed cars cost £70–£120

• Full hobby-grade brushless MJX trucks cost around £120–£150

The value difference is staggering — which is why we recommend brushless for almost every buyer except very young beginners.

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Where FMS and MJX Fit In

MJX (Hyper Go series)

• Known for unbelievably fast brushless systems

• Metal drivetrains that handle high torque

• Proper 2S and 3S LiPo capability

• Amazing value for money

FMS

• Focused more on crawlability and scale realism

• Uses smoother, low-RPM motors

• Not always brushless — but tuned for precise, controlled driving

• Built for realism and trail performance rather than outright speed

Both brands massively outperform toy-grade brushed models found on Amazon and in retail stores.

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Which Should You Choose?

Choose Brushed if:

• You’re buying for a very young child (5–8)

• You want the absolute cheapest entry option

• You only drive on flat surfaces at low speeds

Choose Brushless if:

• You want real performance

• You want your car to last

• You want off-road capability

• You drive on grass, gravel or dirt

• You want upgradeability

• You don’t want to replace the motor every few months

For 90% of people, brushless is the better choice — especially at today’s prices.

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Final Thoughts: Brushless Is the Future

Brushed motors are fine for toys, but for real hobby-grade RC cars, brushless wins in every category: speed, torque, efficiency, durability, runtime, and long-term value.

This is why almost every model we stock at The Truck Monster uses brushless systems — they simply deliver the best performance for your pound.