We have all been there. You buy a shiny new ride-on toy for your kid, only to realize it tops out at a walking pace. While safety is the priority, sometimes a little extra “oomph” is needed to tackle tall grass or slight inclines. Learning how to make kids electric car faster is a rite of passage for many DIY-minded parents and off-road enthusiasts who want to bridge the gap between a toy and a capable mini-machine.
The good news is that these vehicles are surprisingly simple. Most run on basic DC motors and lead-acid batteries, which leaves plenty of room for improvement. By the end of this guide, you will understand the mechanics of voltage, the importance of gear ratios, and how to safely implement these modifications without melting your child’s favorite toy.
In the following sections, we will break down the most effective ways to boost speed, from simple battery swaps to advanced electronic speed controller (ESC) installations. We will focus on practical, cost-effective methods that any weekend warrior can handle with basic tools. Let’s get under the hood and see what these tiny electric motors are truly capable of.
The Core Principles of how to make kids electric car faster
Before you start cutting wires, you need to understand the relationship between voltage and speed. In the world of DC motors, increasing the voltage almost always results in a higher RPM (revolutions per minute). If your kid’s car currently runs on a 6V or 12V system, moving to a higher voltage is the most direct path to more speed.
However, speed is not just about the battery. You also have to consider the gearbox. The plastic gears inside most ride-ons are designed for specific torque and speed limits. If you increase the speed too much without reinforcing the drivetrain, you will likely end up with a “stripped” gear, which sounds like a loud grinding noise and results in no movement at all.
Heat management is the final piece of the puzzle. When you push more power through a small motor, it generates heat. Without proper cooling or heat sinks, the internal brushes of the motor can fail. We will address each of these factors to ensure your speed project is both fast and durable.
Understanding Your Current Setup
Open the battery compartment and identify what you are working with. Most stock vehicles use Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries. These are heavy, slow to charge, and have a significant voltage drop under load. Knowing your starting point helps you decide if a simple battery swap or a full motor overhaul is the better choice.
Check the motor size as well. Most standard Power Wheels use 550-sized motors. If your car has 390 motors, they are smaller and more prone to burning out if you overvolt them. Identifying these components early prevents you from buying parts that won’t fit or will fail immediately.
Safety First: Preparing for More Speed
When you learn how to make kids electric car faster, safety must be your primary concern. A car that goes 5-7 mph requires much better control and stopping power than one that goes 2 mph. Before touching the electronics, ensure the vehicle’s chassis and steering are up to the task.
Check all the nuts and bolts on the steering linkage. At higher speeds, any “slop” in the steering can cause the car to dart unexpectedly. You should also consider the center of gravity. Many of these toys are top-heavy, and increasing the speed increases the risk of a rollover during sharp turns.
Finally, always insist on a helmet. It might seem overkill for a backyard toy, but once you modify the speed, it is no longer just a toy. Safety gear and adult supervision are non-negotiable when testing out a newly “tuned” electric ride-on.
Upgrading the Braking System
Most electric ride-ons use “dynamic braking.” This means when the child lets go of the pedal, the motor leads are shorted together, creating resistance that stops the car. At higher voltages, this stop can be very abrupt and jarring. This can damage the plastic gears or even cause the child to lurch forward.
To fix this, some DIYers install a brake resistor. This allows the energy to dissipate more slowly, leading to a smoother stop. Alternatively, adding an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) allows for a “soft-stop” feature, which is much safer for the child and the mechanical components of the car.
Voltage Upgrades: The Fastest Way to Gain Speed
The most common method used when figuring out how to make kids electric car faster is the voltage jump. If you have a 12V car, moving to 18V or 24V will provide a massive performance boost. There are two main ways to achieve this: adding a secondary SLA battery or using power tool batteries.
Adding a secondary battery in series increases the voltage. For example, wiring a 6V battery in series with your existing 12V battery gives you an 18V system. This is a “sweet spot” for many 12V motors, providing a significant speed boost without immediately burning out the coils.
Using power tool batteries (like Milwaukee, DeWalt, or Ryobi) is a popular modern hack. These batteries are Lithium-Ion (Li-ion), meaning they are lighter and hold their voltage much better than lead-acid. You can buy 3D-printed adapters that allow these batteries to click right into the car’s wiring harness.
The Importance of an Inline Fuse
Whenever you upgrade the battery, you must install an inline fuse. Lithium batteries can discharge an incredible amount of current very quickly. If a wire shorts out without a fuse, the battery can overheat or even catch fire. A 30-amp or 40-amp automotive fuse is usually sufficient for most modified setups.
Place the fuse as close to the battery positive terminal as possible. This ensures that the entire circuit is protected. If the motor draws too much current—perhaps from getting stuck in deep mud—the fuse will blow, protecting your expensive battery and the car’s wiring from permanent damage.
Upgrading Motors and Gearboxes
If you have already increased the voltage and want even more performance, it is time to look at the motors. Stock motors are built for cost, not performance. Upgrading to high-RPM motors designed for RC cars or specialized ride-on retailers can make a world of difference.
Look for motors with internal cooling fans. These help pull air through the motor casing to keep the brushes cool. If you are running 24V through a motor designed for 12V, heat is your biggest enemy. You can also strap on aluminum heat sinks with thermal paste to help dissipate heat into the air.
Pairing these motors with steel gears is a wise move. Most stock gearboxes use nylon or plastic gears. While quiet, they cannot handle the torque of a high-voltage motor for long. Steel first-stage gears are a common upgrade that prevents the most frequent point of failure in the drivetrain.
Choosing the Right Motor Turns
In the motor world, “Turns” (T) refers to how many times the wire is wrapped around the armature. A motor with fewer turns (like a 15T or 17T) will have a higher top speed but less torque. A motor with more turns (like a 21T or 23T) will have more “grunt” for climbing hills but a lower top speed.
For most off-road applications, a mid-range motor is best. You want enough speed to be fun, but enough torque to ensure the car doesn’t stall out when it hits a patch of grass or a small bump. Always check that the motor shaft diameter matches your stock pinion gear before purchasing.
Implementing an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC)
Stock ride-ons use a simple “on/off” switch for the throttle. This means the motor goes from 0% to 100% power instantly. This is hard on the gears and can be scary for younger kids. An Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) allows for variable throttle, much like a real car’s gas pedal.
Installing an ESC is the “pro” way of how to make kids electric car faster. It allows you to use a 24V battery but limit the output to 18V if needed. It also provides a “soft start” feature, which gradually ramps up the power to the motors. This saves your gearboxes from the initial shock of high-voltage starts.
To do this, you will need the ESC module, a hall-effect foot pedal, and some basic wiring skills. You will essentially bypass the stock wiring and use the ESC to manage the power flow from the battery to the motors. This modification also makes the car much smoother to drive.
Wiring for Success
When moving to an ESC and higher voltages, you should upgrade the wire gauge. Stock wiring is often thin (16AWG or 14AWG). For a high-performance setup, 12AWG or even 10AWG multi-strand copper wire is preferred. Thicker wire has less resistance, meaning more power reaches the motors and less is lost as heat in the wires.
Use high-quality crimped and soldered connectors. Vibrations from off-roading can easily shake loose a poor connection. Heat-shrink tubing should be used on every joint to prevent short circuits and protect the copper from corrosion if the car gets wet.
Traction and Handling Improvements
Speed is useless if the wheels just spin in place. Most kids’ cars have hard plastic wheels that offer zero grip on pavement. As you make the car faster, you will notice the wheels “peeling out” every time the kid hits the pedal. There are a few ways to fix this.
One popular DIY trick is to wrap the center of the plastic tires in bicycle tire treads or rubber mountain bike tires. You can screw these directly into the plastic. This provides actual rubber-to-road contact, vastly improving acceleration and braking distance.
Another option is to replace the plastic wheels entirely with pneumatic (air-filled) tires. This requires some fabrication, as you’ll need to adapt the axle to fit a standard wheel hub. However, air-filled tires provide natural suspension and incredible grip, making the car much more capable on trails.
Weight Distribution and Stability
If you have moved the battery or added more batteries, pay attention to the weight distribution. Keeping the weight low and centered helps prevent tips. If you are using power tool batteries, you can often mount them under the seat or even lower in the chassis to improve the center of gravity.
If the car feels “darty” at high speeds, you can add a small amount of “toe-in” to the front wheels. This involves adjusting the steering rods so the front of the tires point slightly toward each other. This helps the car track straight and reduces the wandering sensation often felt in modified toys.
Maintenance Tips for Modified Ride-Ons
A modified car requires more maintenance than a stock one. You should regularly check the motor temperatures after a long run. If the motors are too hot to touch, you need to either add more cooling or reduce the voltage. Excess heat is the number one killer of modified electric toys.
Inspect the gearboxes for grease. Most come with a tiny amount of cheap white lithium grease. Clean that out and replace it with a high-quality synthetic grease designed for plastic and metal gears. This reduces friction and helps the gears survive the added stress of higher speeds.
Keep an eye on the battery health. If you are using Lithium-Ion power tool batteries, never run them until they are completely dead. Most power tools have built-in low-voltage cutoffs, but some adapters do not. If you discharge a Li-ion battery too low, it may never charge again.
Checking Electrical Connections
Once a month, pull the seat and check the wiring. Look for any discoloration or melting on the plastic connectors. This is a sign of high resistance and heat. If you see this, replace the connector with a higher-rated one, such as an XT60 or Anderson Powerpole connector, which are common in the RC and EV hobby worlds.
Ensure the motor mounts are tight. The extra torque from a voltage upgrade can sometimes twist the motors in their mounts, leading to gear misalignment. A little bit of thread-locking compound on the motor screws can prevent them from vibrating loose during backyard adventures.
Frequently Asked Questions About how to make kids electric car faster
Will increasing the voltage burn out the motors?
In many cases, yes, if you go too high. Most 12V motors can handle 18V without much issue, but 24V is pushing it. The key is to manage heat. If you use 24V, you should use an ESC to limit the power or add significant cooling to the motors to prevent the brushes from melting.
Can I just put a bigger battery in the car?
A “bigger” battery usually refers to Amp-hours (Ah), which dictates runtime, not speed. To make the car faster, you need a battery with a higher Voltage (V). However, a battery with more Amp-hours will allow the car to maintain its top speed for a longer period before the voltage starts to sag.
Is it safe to use drill batteries in a Power Wheels?
It is safe as long as you use an inline fuse and a low-voltage cutoff. Drill batteries (Lithium) discharge power much faster than the original lead-acid batteries. Without a fuse, a short circuit can lead to a fire. With proper wiring, it is one of the best and most convenient upgrades you can perform.
How do I stop the gears from stripping?
The best way to prevent stripped gears is to install an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) for a soft start. This prevents the “jerk” that happens when the motor goes from zero to full power. You can also upgrade to steel first-stage gears, which are much stronger than the stock nylon ones.
What tools do I need to start modifying?
You will need a basic set of tools: a multimeter to check voltages, wire strippers, a crimping tool, and a screwdriver set. A soldering iron is highly recommended for making permanent, vibration-resistant electrical connections. If you are doing motor swaps, you may also need a gear puller to remove the pinion gears.
Final Thoughts on Boosting Your Kid’s Ride
Learning how to make kids electric car faster is a rewarding project that combines basic electronics, mechanical engineering, and a bit of backyard ingenuity. By focusing on the “Big Three”—voltage, gearing, and safety—you can create a vehicle that grows with your child’s driving skills. Remember that every upgrade in speed must be matched by an upgrade in safety and maintenance.
Start small with an 18V upgrade and see how the car handles it. If the motors stay cool and the gears hold up, you can then explore more advanced mods like ESCs and rubber tires. The goal is to create a fun, reliable machine that provides hours of outdoor entertainment while teaching you a thing or two about DIY automotive work.
Take your time with the wiring, always use a fuse, and make sure your young driver is equipped with a helmet and a safe place to ride. With the right approach, you’ll turn that slow plastic toy into the coolest rig in the neighborhood. Stay safe and enjoy the build!
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