On paper, there really isn't much debate regarding PERFORMANCE. A brushless based vehicle will absolutely destroy nitros. I recently converted an RC8 to brushless and the fastest nitro's can't keep up with it on straights with me at HALF throttle. The bottomline is that electric technology has surpassed combustion engine tech for hobby vehicles. It is only a matter of time before electric completely takes over rc.

The only advantage nitro has over electric is noise (which for some is a disadvantage). I can admit, even though I can blow the wheels off nitro buggies, the nitros sound so much cooler when you are watching them. Right now, 1/8 electric is still somewhat cost prohibitive and requires a lot of research and trial and error to build a reliable car, but it is getting easier and easier as each month goes by as more and more RTR kits are being developed, kinks worked out, and cost of lipo continue to decrease.

With lipo tech, the run time is pretty good too. I can get abotu 30 minutes on a 3s 8000 pack in my RC8. That same battery in my Rustler VXL will let me run for about 45 minutes. I get about 15-20 minutes on a 4s 5000 pack. They only take about 1.25 hours to charge. Usually I run one pack at the track while one is charging. After a few minutes of wrenching and track marshalling, I am ready to run again.

The nail in the coffin will be when a major manufacturer such as Associated or Losi comes out with an electric based race bred 1/8 model. I also think electric 1/8 will help the sport grow more. Right now, tracks are put out in the middle of podunk due to the noise pollution. Soon we will have indoor/outdoor tracks in the middle of densely populated areas since noise will no longer be an issue. The tracks will also be more fun as you can have bigger jumps. Electrics don't require a lot of run up since all the power is instantaneous. This means you can clear 20 foot doubles with three feet of run up. Requires an entirely different driving style. Finally, electric will bring more people back into RC. I gave up on RC until I discovered brushless/lipo tech last year. I know quite a few grown folks who are getting back in to RC because the can have more power than nitro with absolutely none of the drawbacks. Try running your nitro up and down your street in a quiet subdivision at 10pm at 60+ mph. This will help the sport grow as more people will also get into racing as a result.

Will nitro die? No. There are people who like tinkering with combustion engines and like the noise... just like there are people who still like playing Atari 2600 games out of nostalgia or listening to vinyl records. Electric technology is improving rapidly and I bet within 10 years, nitro will be just a niche part of the hobby.