More info here -
http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/record_br...reaking_120.htm
"So what equipment did he use to break this record? Well most of it is a secret except the motor, controller and cells. They used a brushless hand selected Lehner 2250, 8 Turn motor and a Schulze Future 170 amp continuous rated controller. The biggest and badest brushless controller that money can buy at a price tag of more than $500.00. The control he used was a now production model of the prototype he used to break the 100mph mark in 2002. The cells he used were Hopf hand picked gp3300 cells, 32 of them in total."
32 cells, 1.2 volts a piece... 38 volts at 170 amps. The 8 turn motor means there are 8 winds of single strand wire inside the motor, meaning the wire itself is close to 1/16" thick. This provides a lot of torque and high RPMs, and it can also handle a lot of electrical energy without burning up.
On the note of electric R/C vehicles, the fastest on-road car and dragster in the world are also electric powered.