New Factory Built Electric 1/8 !!!
04-12-2008, 10:41 AM
#1
New Factory Built Electric 1/8 !!!
Coming soon.
Info and pictures will be posted when I get the ok from Caster Racing.
They are producing an electric 1/8 buggy and truggy in both RTR and "Pro Race" versions. Details on the RTR components are not available at this time. The Pro kit will be released first while the RTR is being finished.
We will have more information at www.casterracingusa.com soon, and will have a sign up list for those interested in purchasing when the first shipments come in.
Prices are yet to be determined, but expect them to be similar to the current Caster nitro cars. The nitro ZX-1R pro kit sells for around $400 through you local hobby store, and $425 direct from CasterUSA.
So we have a very good quality car at a good price that needs no additional converison work or parts.
More options and parts will be coming from Caster. This is only the beginning.
Stay tuned....
Info and pictures will be posted when I get the ok from Caster Racing.
They are producing an electric 1/8 buggy and truggy in both RTR and "Pro Race" versions. Details on the RTR components are not available at this time. The Pro kit will be released first while the RTR is being finished.
We will have more information at www.casterracingusa.com soon, and will have a sign up list for those interested in purchasing when the first shipments come in.
Prices are yet to be determined, but expect them to be similar to the current Caster nitro cars. The nitro ZX-1R pro kit sells for around $400 through you local hobby store, and $425 direct from CasterUSA.
So we have a very good quality car at a good price that needs no additional converison work or parts.
More options and parts will be coming from Caster. This is only the beginning.
Stay tuned....
04-12-2008, 10:51 AM
#2
Key features of the new Caster electric car: proto name Fusion EX-1
Designed to use a pair of standard "1/10 size" batteries. Any of the common hardcase lipo packs can be used... Orion 4800, Checkpoint 5400, Core 5000, SMC 5000.... etc.
Uses protective plastic battery trays with hard quick release battery straps.
Low center of gravity and weight is close to the centerline of the car. The batteries are not merely stuck out on the side mud guards.
Center diff/motor mount maintains the two piece design of the Caster ZX-1R for better access to the center diff and easy removal of the entire motor/esc assembly.
I hope to have pictures to release soon... please be patient.
I also don't have a release date yet, but I am expecting to see a final product sample this month. That's all I can say at this point, but we are told it's very close.
Designed to use a pair of standard "1/10 size" batteries. Any of the common hardcase lipo packs can be used... Orion 4800, Checkpoint 5400, Core 5000, SMC 5000.... etc.
Uses protective plastic battery trays with hard quick release battery straps.
Low center of gravity and weight is close to the centerline of the car. The batteries are not merely stuck out on the side mud guards.
Center diff/motor mount maintains the two piece design of the Caster ZX-1R for better access to the center diff and easy removal of the entire motor/esc assembly.
I hope to have pictures to release soon... please be patient.
I also don't have a release date yet, but I am expecting to see a final product sample this month. That's all I can say at this point, but we are told it's very close.
04-12-2008, 11:19 AM
#4
No doubt, we will see more E-1/8 cars before long. Even Caster is not going to stop with this car. Expect to see more new electric designs in the future, more unique and different than the nitro versions.
04-12-2008, 11:33 AM
#5
Tech Regular
Well that's good news but as a potential customer i have few question.
Casterracing is just a brand based on Chinese OEM right ? what about spare parts and support in the futur ?
What about A123 battery support (NImh are too heavy, Lipo too dangerous even hardcased imho)
Casterracing is just a brand based on Chinese OEM right ? what about spare parts and support in the futur ?
What about A123 battery support (NImh are too heavy, Lipo too dangerous even hardcased imho)
04-12-2008, 12:17 PM
#6
Well that's good news but as a potential customer i have few question.
Casterracing is just a brand based on Chinese OEM right ? what about spare parts and support in the futur ?
What about A123 battery support (NImh are too heavy, Lipo too dangerous even hardcased imho)
Casterracing is just a brand based on Chinese OEM right ? what about spare parts and support in the futur ?
What about A123 battery support (NImh are too heavy, Lipo too dangerous even hardcased imho)
Cannot wait to see some pics of the new buggy. Will be ordering some for sure.
04-12-2008, 01:17 PM
#8
Caster Racing is not oem chinese. It is a very legitimate high quality product.
It is popular in Europe, Asia, and Australia and now, in late 2007, is officially in the U.S. Caster Racing USA is the official U.S. distributor and has a small staff of engineers and racers who are serious about making Caster Racing a recognizeable name like Losi, Team Associated, OFNA, etc....
We have made a few changes for the U.S. market and are now ready to get the ball rolling in 2008. Go to the website and pull up any of the RTRs and look at the pictures in click to zoom. I guarantee the quality and durability is equal to any of the other major manufacturers. What is intriguing is that Caster vehicles are quickly and consistantly being recognized for exceptional handling on any and every track.
It is popular in Europe, Asia, and Australia and now, in late 2007, is officially in the U.S. Caster Racing USA is the official U.S. distributor and has a small staff of engineers and racers who are serious about making Caster Racing a recognizeable name like Losi, Team Associated, OFNA, etc....
We have made a few changes for the U.S. market and are now ready to get the ball rolling in 2008. Go to the website and pull up any of the RTRs and look at the pictures in click to zoom. I guarantee the quality and durability is equal to any of the other major manufacturers. What is intriguing is that Caster vehicles are quickly and consistantly being recognized for exceptional handling on any and every track.
04-12-2008, 03:54 PM
#9
Finally... first of many I hope.
04-12-2008, 04:28 PM
#10
glassdoctor: This is exciting news indeed!!! A full-blown EP 1/8 scale truggy and buggy. Question: Will it have the option of running mechanical brakes? I for one prefer mechanical brakes because it's easier to tune and removes a lot of work for the esc and motor to stop the car. Any release date yet?
04-12-2008, 04:28 PM
#11
Well that's good news but as a potential customer i have few question.
Casterracing is just a brand based on Chinese OEM right ? what about spare parts and support in the futur ?
What about A123 battery support (NImh are too heavy, Lipo too dangerous even hardcased imho)
Casterracing is just a brand based on Chinese OEM right ? what about spare parts and support in the futur ?
What about A123 battery support (NImh are too heavy, Lipo too dangerous even hardcased imho)
It's not designed specifically to use A123 cells, but I think it won't be hard to trim the battery trays to work with them. I will find out once we get the cars in. I did have A123s in mind when building the car, and I have some A123 cells myself. But honestly... they are not a good fit for r/c cars (Just too big and fat to work WELL) and I don't see them ever becoming mainstream as they are. So I didn't design the car around them. A123 needs to produce a subC size cell or make a flat cell if they want to be a big time player in r/c.
I'm thinking about having an option battery tray made to fit the A123 and extra wide lipo cells like TrueRC 4000/8000packs, but that's not done yet.
As for the Caster brand and parts etc:
It's based on the Mugen car... and it's very good quality. As mentioned... the ZX-1R is proving to be a very capable race car and its getting better every year. Most Mugen parts fit... and Caster parts are available in the US online now. I don't think there will be any issues getting parts like there are with some other brands out there right now.
04-12-2008, 04:34 PM
#12
glassdoctor: This is exciting news indeed!!! A full-blown EP 1/8 scale truggy and buggy. Question: Will it have the option of running mechanical brakes? I for one prefer mechanical brakes because it's easier to tune and removes a lot of work for the esc and motor to stop the car. Any release date yet?
There will also be another version with a "standard" layout of a single battery pack on one side and the motor on the opposite side. This is by far the most common conversion layout right now... just like the 8ight conversion I did when it first hit the shelves. This version may be better suited for mech brakes.
I'm working on a rear-assist brake setup (Esc/motor brakes.. with a single rear disc mechanical brake) using a small servo and disc on the rear diff cup. I think that will be cool if you must have a rear bias. Stay tuned, lol....
04-12-2008, 07:18 PM
#13
Caster Racing is not oem chinese. It is a very legitimate high quality product.
It is popular in Europe, Asia, and Australia and now, in late 2007, is officially in the U.S. Caster Racing USA is the official U.S. distributor and has a small staff of engineers and racers who are serious about making Caster Racing a recognizeable name like Losi, Team Associated, OFNA, etc....
We have made a few changes for the U.S. market and are now ready to get the ball rolling in 2008. Go to the website and pull up any of the RTRs and look at the pictures in click to zoom. I guarantee the quality and durability is equal to any of the other major manufacturers. What is intriguing is that Caster vehicles are quickly and consistantly being recognized for exceptional handling on any and every track.
It is popular in Europe, Asia, and Australia and now, in late 2007, is officially in the U.S. Caster Racing USA is the official U.S. distributor and has a small staff of engineers and racers who are serious about making Caster Racing a recognizeable name like Losi, Team Associated, OFNA, etc....
We have made a few changes for the U.S. market and are now ready to get the ball rolling in 2008. Go to the website and pull up any of the RTRs and look at the pictures in click to zoom. I guarantee the quality and durability is equal to any of the other major manufacturers. What is intriguing is that Caster vehicles are quickly and consistantly being recognized for exceptional handling on any and every track.
04-13-2008, 03:27 AM
#14
glassdoctor: Thank you very much for the info. I hope this will be priced competitively and durable too. I'll keep an eye on this thread for sure.
04-13-2008, 04:43 AM
#15
Waiting patiently for the first production units to be available 
From pics ive seen you guys will be very pleased as well as impressed by the layout. Really tidy and a low center of gravity.
Fusion hats of bud, good work and effort put into the layout.
I believe the kit is not using the gas versions chassis but a dedicated electric chassis as well as the center diff mounts.
Good possibility of a conversion kit being available that will even fit the Mugen buggies.
Believe more news will be made available in 3/4 weeks time.
From pics ive seen you guys will be very pleased as well as impressed by the layout. Really tidy and a low center of gravity.
Fusion hats of bud, good work and effort put into the layout.
I believe the kit is not using the gas versions chassis but a dedicated electric chassis as well as the center diff mounts.
Good possibility of a conversion kit being available that will even fit the Mugen buggies.
Believe more news will be made available in 3/4 weeks time.