Minecraft wiki entry for Minecart_with_Hopper, associated text: A minecart with hopper can travel more than 85 blocks without stopping (as opposed to a normal cart going less than 12 blocks) from a dead stop using a 2 powered track starter even with another cart in front of them. However, the distance traveled by a minecart with hopper depends on the hopper's load. Using a 1 powered rail starter track, a minecart with an empty hopper travels 64 blocks until it stops (as opposed to an empty normal minecart going 8 blocks). The distance traveled diminishes non-linearly with increased hopper load; a minecart with a full hopper can travel only 16 blocks in this setup.