Losi Mini LMT Zombie vs Sparkle Smash: What Changed, and Which 2S Battery Fits?

The Losi Mini LMT Zombie helped turn the 1/18 Mini LMT into more than just a small RC monster truck. The solid-axle chassis already had the right Monster Jam proportions, but the Zombie body gave it the kind of personality that makes people want to collect more than one.

Now Losi has added the Mini LMT Sparkle Smash, and that raises an obvious question: is this actually a new truck, or mainly a new Monster Jam body on the same platform?

For anyone choosing between the two—or looking for a Losi Mini LMT battery replacement—the answer is useful. Sparkle Smash changes the character of the truck visually, but the important hardware underneath remains very familiar. The two models use the same basic 1/18 Mini LMT platform, the same 2S power system, and the same factory Spektrum 810mAh battery setup.

What Makes the Losi Mini LMT Platform Interesting?

The Mini LMT is essentially Losi's small-scale take on a solid-axle Monster Jam truck. Rather than using the independent suspension layout found on many small bashers, it uses solid axles, a 4-link suspension layout, 4WD, oil-filled shocks, sway bars and scale-style monster truck tires.

That layout is part of what gives the truck its identity. It looks right when climbing over obstacles, landing jumps and bouncing around a homemade freestyle course. It is small enough for garage floors, concrete driveways and smooth indoor spaces, while still having enough suspension movement to make ramps and little Monster Jam-style obstacles entertaining.

Both Zombie and Sparkle Smash come ready to run with a Spektrum SLT2 radio, Spektrum 25A 2-in-1 ESC/receiver, 25T 380-size brushed motor, SX108 steering servo, Smart G2 2S battery and USB-C Smart charger.

What Makes the Mini LMT Zombie Special?

Zombie is still one of the most distinctive bodies in the Mini LMT range. The full-size Monster Jam truck has always relied heavily on character, and Losi carried many of those details into the 1/18 version.

The body includes the familiar eyes and teeth, flexible molded zombie arms, hair details on the cab, cloth elements at the rear and a removable molded cage structure. It looks intentionally strange, which is exactly why the design works.

For Monster Jam fans, that body is arguably the main reason to choose Zombie over another Mini LMT. Underneath it, though, you are still getting the established Mini LMT chassis and electronics rather than a Zombie-specific mechanical platform.

What Changed with the Losi Mini LMT Sparkle Smash?

Sparkle Smash takes almost the opposite approach visually. Where Zombie is designed to look creepy and rough, Sparkle Smash uses a bright pink and purple Monster Jam theme with a horn, ears, mane and tail.

Losi uses flexible molded rubber pieces for several of those details, allowing them to move rather than relying entirely on rigid decorative parts. The truck also receives its own molded roll cage and body support arrangement to suit the Sparkle Smash body.

There are also some nice scale touches inside the cab, including a driver insert. So calling Sparkle Smash nothing more than a different paint scheme would undersell the body work.

Mechanically, however, it is a different story. The important Mini LMT hardware remains essentially the same.

Losi Mini LMT Zombie vs Sparkle Smash: What Is Actually Different?

So if your decision is based on performance hardware, battery voltage or drivetrain layout, there is very little separating them. The choice is mostly about which Monster Jam truck you want sitting on top of the chassis.

That is also good news for owners who want more than one Mini LMT. A battery setup chosen for one model can potentially be used across both, provided the voltage, dimensions, connector arrangement and charging setup are correct.

The Factory Mini LMT Battery Setup

Both trucks include a Spektrum Smart G2 7.4V 810mAh 2S 50C LiPo battery with an IC2 connector. The included Smart G2 USB-C charger is designed to work with that Smart battery system.

For many owners, there is nothing wrong with starting with the included battery. It is already matched to the truck and gives you a simple out-of-the-box charging setup.

The reason to look at another battery is less about fixing a bad factory pack and more about adding options. A spare pack means less downtime between runs, and some aftermarket batteries offer different capacity, discharge rating or value depending on what matters most to you.

Recommended 2S Option: CNHL MiniStar 850mAh 70C

One compact option is the 2 Packs CNHL MiniStar 850mAh 7.4V 2S 70C LiPo Battery with XT30U.

The voltage stays at the same standard 7.4V 2S, while capacity increases slightly from 810mAh to 850mAh. The CNHL pack also carries a higher advertised continuous discharge rating of 70C compared with the factory battery's 50C rating.

The capacity difference is only 40mAh, so it would be misleading to promise a dramatic increase in runtime. The more practical difference is that the CNHL product is sold as a 2-pack. The truck only uses one battery at a time, which means the second battery can stay ready for the next run.

You can see the current options in our 2S LiPo battery collection for the Losi Mini LMT Zombie and Sparkle Smash.

Does the CNHL MiniStar 850mAh Fit the Mini LMT?

Battery dimensions are worth checking before making any compatibility claim on a small-scale RC vehicle.

Losi lists a maximum battery size of 60 × 32 × 30mm for the Mini LMT Sparkle Smash. The CNHL MiniStar 850mAh measures approximately 60 × 30 × 17mm.

That puts the CNHL pack within the published dimensional envelope. Connector choice is the remaining part of the setup, and that deserves a separate explanation.

IC2 vs XT30U: The Connector Difference Matters

The factory Spektrum battery uses IC2. The CNHL MiniStar uses XT30U. These connectors do not plug directly into each other.

If you want to run the CNHL pack without changing the truck's wiring, use a properly rated XT30-to-IC2-compatible adapter that has the correct connector orientation and polarity. Check the exact adapter specification rather than assuming an EC2-labelled adapter is automatically the right choice for every IC2 setup.

This is also why the CNHL pack should not be described as a direct plug-and-play Spektrum Smart replacement. The voltage and physical size work for this application, but the connector and charging systems are different.

Do You Use the Stock Smart G2 Charger with the CNHL Battery?

No assumption should be made that the charger supplied with the Mini LMT is suitable for the CNHL battery.

The factory Spektrum pack is a Smart G2 battery designed to communicate with the supplied Smart G2 charger. The CNHL MiniStar is a conventional 2S LiPo with an XT30U main connector and JST-XH balance connector.

Use a proper LiPo balance charger that supports standard 2S LiPo batteries, together with the correct charge lead. Charge it as a standard 2S LiPo and do not exceed 4.2V per cell.

What the Mini LMT Community Was Already Telling Us

When Zombie arrived, one theme kept showing up in the comments: people wanted more Mini LMT bodies.

• "We dig it! Monster Mutt next please!"
• "Love seeing the mini LMT lineup growing!"
• "The details on it are fantastic. It's just as disgusting as the real thing!"

Other requests included El Toro Loco, Max-D, Avenger, Megalodon, ThunderROARus and Mohawk Warrior. There were even people asking Losi to go the other direction and build larger LMT versions.

With Sparkle Smash now joining the lineup, those comments make even more sense. The Mini LMT is becoming a platform people can collect by Monster Jam identity rather than simply buying one truck and stopping there.

That is one reason shared battery hardware matters. If Losi keeps expanding the range on the same core platform, owners can spend more time choosing the body they like and less time rebuilding an entirely different battery setup for every truck.

Zombie or Sparkle Smash: Which One Should You Choose?

If you are expecting one of them to be substantially faster or more powerful because of the body choice, that is not really the distinction here. Both use the same basic brushed 2S Mini LMT hardware.

Zombie makes the most sense if you like the deliberately gruesome Monster Jam design, especially the flexible arms, hair and tattered body details. Sparkle Smash goes in the opposite direction with the bright unicorn-inspired look, horn, ears, mane and tail.

For someone already collecting Mini LMT trucks, that visual difference may be enough reason to own both.

And if you already have a battery solution you are happy with in the Zombie, the arrival of Sparkle Smash does not force you to start the battery search again.

Is the Losi Mini LMT Zombie Still Worth It?

Yes—if the Zombie design is the one you actually want.

Sparkle Smash does not make Zombie obsolete. It gives buyers another body choice on essentially the same platform. The Zombie still has one of the most recognizable designs in the Mini LMT family, and the solid-axle chassis remains well suited to the kind of small jumps, wheelies and freestyle obstacles these trucks are meant to tackle.

The included battery is perfectly reasonable for getting started. An aftermarket pack becomes useful when you want a spare battery, a different connector ecosystem, or another compact 2S option that fits within the Mini LMT's space constraints.

That makes the CNHL MiniStar less of a magical "performance unlock" and more of a practical alternative: 850mAh, a higher advertised 70C discharge rating, compact dimensions, and two batteries in the package.

Looking for a 2S Battery for Your Mini LMT?

If you own a Zombie, Sparkle Smash, or are building out a small Mini LMT collection, browse our Losi Mini LMT 2S LiPo battery options.

The collection compares the factory 810mAh Smart G2 IC2 setup with the CNHL MiniStar 850mAh 2S 70C and explains the connector, dimensions and charging differences before you buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Losi Mini LMT Sparkle Smash basically the same truck as the Zombie?

Mechanically, they are very similar. Both use the 1/18 Mini LMT solid-axle 4WD platform, 25T 380 brushed motor, Spektrum 25A 2-in-1 ESC/receiver and 810mAh 2S Smart G2 battery. The most obvious differences are the licensed Monster Jam body, cage and decorative details.

Do the Mini LMT Zombie and Sparkle Smash use the same battery?

Yes. Both are supplied with a Spektrum 7.4V 810mAh 2S Smart G2 50C LiPo battery with an IC2 connector, so their basic battery requirements are the same.

Can I use the CNHL MiniStar 850mAh 2S 70C in the Mini LMT?

The CNHL MiniStar measures approximately 60 × 30 × 17mm, which is within Losi's published 60 × 32 × 30mm maximum battery dimensions for the Mini LMT Sparkle Smash. The CNHL battery uses XT30U rather than IC2, so a properly rated XT30-to-IC2-compatible connector solution is required. It is also a standard LiPo rather than a Spektrum Smart G2 battery, so use an appropriate standard LiPo balance charger instead of assuming compatibility with the included Smart G2 charger.