Batteries
RC car battery connector types
The most common ordering mistake in this hobby: the right battery with the wrong plug. Here is how to identify yours in ten seconds.
By Ryder M. · Published September 27, 2026 · Last reviewed
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The five connectors you will actually meet are XT60 (yellow), Deans/T-plug (red), EC3 (blue), the Traxxas high-current plug, and the old white Tamiya plug. Look at the plug on the car, match the shape and color below, and buy a battery with the same one — or buy an adapter.
Identifying yours
| Connector | How to recognize it | Where you find it |
|---|---|---|
| XT60 | Yellow plastic, bullet-shaped pins, slightly rounded body | The current default on most hobby brands, including MJX and Redcat |
| Deans / T-plug | Small red plug shaped like a flattened T | Widely used; popular with racers for its low resistance |
| EC3 / EC5 | Blue plastic with two round bullet pins | Common on Horizon Hobby brands — Arrma, Losi, Axial |
| Traxxas high-current | Distinctive blue-gray plug unique to Traxxas | Traxxas vehicles and Power Cell packs |
| Tamiya | White rectangular plug with two flat pins | Older and cheaper NiMH packs; being phased out |
What to do when the plug does not match
- Buy an adapter lead. The simplest fix, costs very little, and works fine. The only downside is one extra connection and a slightly longer cable to tuck away.
- Change the connector on the battery. Requires soldering, and requires doing one wire at a time so the battery is never shorted. If you have not soldered before, do not learn on a LiPo.
- Change the connector on the car instead. Better long-term if you have several batteries on one standard — change the car once rather than every pack.
- Or just buy a battery with the right plug. Most packs are sold in a choice of connectors. Read the listing carefully.
Batteries by connector
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Gens Ace 2S LiPo batteryThe brand most people settle on once they have been burned by a cheap pack that puffed after a month. | The reliable default | 8.7 | $49.99View on Amazon #ad — how we earn · price as of November 12, 2026 |
| 2 |  Ovonic 2S LiPo batteryThe sensible middle: better built than the bargain packs, cheaper than the premium ones. | Middle ground | 8.4 | |
| 3 |  HOOVO 2S LiPo with a Traxxas-style plugThe straightforward LiPo upgrade for a Traxxas, in a hard case and two to a box. | Traxxas owners | 8.3 | $43.99View on Amazon #ad — how we earn · price as of November 12, 2026 |
Product photo via Amazon.
#1 · The reliable default
Gens Ace 2S LiPo battery
The brand most people settle on once they have been burned by a cheap pack that puffed after a month.
8.7/10our score for this use
LiPo is the standard rechargeable battery chemistry for RC cars: lighter than the older NiMH type and it holds its power right up to the end of the run rather than gradually fading. 2S means two cells — the size most 1/10 cars take.
What it does well
- Consistent pack-to-pack quality, which is the whole argument for paying more for a battery
- Holds voltage under load, so the car feels the same on lap ten as on lap one
- Sold in all the common connector types and sizes
What it does badly
- Costs more than the budget brands for capacity you can measure but may not notice
- Like all LiPo packs it must be stored at partial charge, not full, or it degrades
- Needs a balance charger — it cannot be charged with the wall plug from a toy car
#ad — how we earn · price as of November 12, 2026
Product photo via Amazon.
#2 · Middle ground
Ovonic 2S LiPo battery
The sensible middle: better built than the bargain packs, cheaper than the premium ones.
8.4/10our score for this use
A mid-priced LiPo brand that has built a reputation for reliability without the premium price. For a car that gets used on weekends rather than raced, this is the tier that makes sense.
What it does well
- Noticeably better built than the cheapest packs on the shelf
- Widely available in the common sizes and connectors
- Good value if you want two packs instead of one premium pack
What it does badly
- Not the last word in performance if the car is being raced
- Quality is consistent but not at the level of the top-tier brands
- Still requires a proper balance charger
Product photo via Amazon.
#3 · Traxxas owners
HOOVO 2S LiPo with a Traxxas-style plug
The straightforward LiPo upgrade for a Traxxas, in a hard case and two to a box.
8.3/10our score for this use
A pair of 7.4 volt 6200mAh 70C hard-case LiPo packs wired with the Traxxas-style plug, so they drop into a Traxxas tray and connect to a Traxxas car without an adapter. HOOVO lists them at 139 x 47 x 25mm and 290 grams each, sized for 1/10 and 1/8 vehicles. Two packs is the difference between half an hour of driving and an afternoon of it.
What it does well
- Fits Traxxas battery trays and connects to a Traxxas car with no adapter
- Two 6200mAh packs in one box, for roughly what one branded pack costs
- Hard case, so a crash does not deform the cells
What it does badly
- HOOVO says the plug is the older style and may not mate with a Traxxas charger — these need a standard LiPo balance charger
- No iD chip, so the charger has to be set by hand
- Same LiPo storage rules apply — it still needs care
Specifications from the HOOVO pack listing.
#ad — how we earn · price as of November 12, 2026
The balance plug is a separate thing
A LiPo has two plugs: the big one that goes to the car, and a small white one with several thin wires. That second one is the balance plug, and it goes into the charger so it can manage each cell individually. It is a near-universal standard (JST-XH), so you almost never have to think about it. More on what the charger does with it in our charger guide.
How we picked
Connector identification here is based on the standards each manufacturer actually ships. Where a brand uses its own proprietary plug — Traxxas being the notable case — we say so rather than implying a universal standard exists. See our methodology page.
Before you order a pack
- RC car battery sizes explained — the four numbers that decide whether it fits