Knowing that the startup cost is what discourages most people from jumping right in to RC racing, HPI has come up with a great low cost (under $200US)
on-road solution. The E10 is a 1:10
scale entry level electric RC built with the beginner in mind. It's designed so that anyone can pick up the controller and give it a test drive almost immediately. But it's not just for beginners and the budget-conscious. It's a great vehicle for the more experienced RC hobbyist as well whether they want a touring car or a drifting car. There are both Assembled kits and RTR versions of the E10.
Assembled... Add Your Own Radio:
The Assembled version has no radio equipment such as a
receiver, servos, or ESC (Electronic Speed Control). There's no
battery or charger either. What it does come with is a really awesome pre-painted and trimmed body and tricked out highly chromed “Gram Lights” wheels that have lots of great detail like realistic 3D brake rotors and calipers that are visible as you race around your favorite RC race track or parking lot.In my experience assembling all the
chassis components is what sometimes discourages and confuses young RC enthusiasts who want to build their own hobby-grade RC. However, the fully pre-assembled chassis of the E10 Assembled kit lets the beginner ease into RC building by allowing them to start out by simply adding the electronics. And for others, this version allows them to skip the building from scratch but choose their own (or use existing) radio equipment.
Ready to Run... It's All There:
Then there is the all time favorite for the beginner, the
RTR kit. The RTR kit comes with all the same performance and detailing as the Assembled version but it also has a 7.2V Rechargeable Battery, AC Charger, TF-1 AM Radio System with RF-1 Receiver and SF-1 Steering Servo, and an EN-1 Electronic Speed Control with Reverse.All the added equipment is what HPI considers to be of perfomance quality for hours of hassle-free racing and operation. This inexpensive entry into
hobby-grade electrics gives the first-time RC owner everything they need to start on-road racing immediately.
E10 Parts and Features:
Both the Assembled and RTR versions have the same great high quality independent
suspension and true full-time 4WD shaft-driven enclosed
drivetrain system and a High Torque Saturn 27T 540 Motor. For the young RC beginners the front bumper is made of high quality shock-absorbing foam so when you hit those pesky obstacles or have a miscalculation around a corner you won't destroy your new E10 or kill the fun of your racing experience.
From Street Racing to Drifting:
What I think is an awesome plus is that the E10 can go from street/touring racing to drift style without adding any special parts. The fact that the High Torque Saturn 27T 540 motor and TF-1 AM radio equipment can be moved around to distibute the weight balance for smooth
drifting or for high grip cornering is why I think that this entry-level RC from HPI Racing is not to be overlooked by more experienced RC hobbyists.The Drift version of the E10 has two different body styles to choose from -- the Mazda RX-7 and the Toyota Trueno AE86 drift machine. The touring version has three of my favorite models: the exotic Lamborghini Murcielago, the Nissan R32 GT-R, and my all-time favorite Ford Mustang GT-R. But even with these body style/touring/drift choices, the standard body mounts allow you to customize your car with other racing bodies for maximum flexibility. Other optional parts can be seen at your local hobby shop or
. These include rear wings and vintage tires.
Watch the E10 in Action:
- HPI E10 Touring R32 Skyline
This clip show what happens when you go from stock rubber tires to home-made polypipe tires on an HPI E10 Touring R32 Skyline. The difference is noticable. This type of mod might suit the RC enthusiast beginner on a tight budget or for just someone having some creative fun.
E10 RC Drifting Practice
This a great clip showing how well the drifting aspect of the E10 can be. In this drifting practice session there a couple of tight circling donuts performed as well as a couple of hits on the camera.
- HPI Racing E10 RTR drifting on carpet
Watching this video of a drift race was instrumental in inspiring me to explore the drifting hobby more fully. The driver shows that not only can the E10 drift on asphalt but carpet as well. If you're really into RC drift racing this clip is worth a look.
