Can a Portable Generator Charge an Electric Car?

September 3, 2025 | Nate Cord

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If you own one of the 1.5 million electric cars on the road today in the UK and love camping or exploring remote places, you might have come across the familiar headache: where do I charge my electric vehicle?

You may be wondering whether you can use a portable generator, and the answer is nuanced. While most petrol or diesel generators won’t be able to power your EV, and might even damage it, you can use solar-powered generators – also known as portable power stations.

Read on to learn the dos and don’ts of using a solar-powered generator to charge your EV.

What is a Solar-Powered Generator?

Technically, a solar-powered ‘generator’ is actually a ‘power station’. These specialised devices can be plugged into your solar panels, and will convert direct current (DC) energy from the sun into the alternating current (AC) energy you need to power your devices.

Not only incredibly useful for outdoor activities or peace of mind during power cuts, solar-powered generators can also help you lower your energy bills and harness renewable energy at home and on the go.

If you’re looking for a portable generator to charge your electric car, it’s worth noting that only a few portable power stations have the capability to do this. We recommend the Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station, which has a standout EV charging feature.

When to Use a Solar-Powered Generator to Charge Your Car

Solar-powered generators like the SOLIX F3800 are designed to support, rather than replace, traditional electric vehicle charging. Across the UK, there are 80,000 charging stations available, and this number is continuing to grow.

However, let’s remember that charging your electric car is only one of the capabilities of specialised portable power stations. These devices can be a great idea to bring with you on road trips and camping adventures, or to power outdoor events and work sites.

If you’re using solar panels at home or on the go, charging your EV with a portable power station can be a great way to use the renewable energy you’re generating.

Solar-powered generators like the SOLIX F3800 can provide quick charging for your electric car on road trips and on the go.

Our Recommendation for EV Charging: Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station

If you want to invest in a portable power station that’s powerful enough to charge your car, we recommend the Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station. Equipped with wheels and handles, the SOLIX F3800 is easily portable for road trips and features a 3000W EV outlet port.

You can charge the SOLIX F3800 on AC mains for convenient charging in just 2 hours. Alternatively, the SOLIX F3800 can be connected to solar panels for 2500W of solar input and a full charge in 2-4 hours, depending on the weather.

Not just an EV charger, the SOLIX F3800 has the capability to power your home for days and charge recreational vehicles (RVs) too. You can also choose to scale up this power station with up to 6 Anker SOLIX F3800 expansion batteries.

Charge Time: AC: 2 hours, Solar (2400W): 2-4 hours

Battery Capacity: 3841Wh

Sockets: 6 x 230V 13A, 1 x 14V DC, 2 x USB-A 12V & 3 x USB-C 100W, 1 x RV Outlet Port, 1 x EV Outlet Port (3000W)

Weight: 61.00kg

The Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station combines a formidable capacity and EV charging port with easy portability, making it perfect for road trips.

How Long Will a Solar-Powered Generator Take to Charge My Car?

When it comes to driving an EV, 80% is often recommended as the maximum battery charge. According to DriveElectric, a rough equation to estimate your charging time is:

Battery size (kWh) / Charger power (kW) = Charging time (hours)

Let’s apply this equation to the SOLIX F3800, for example, used to charge an MG4 EV Long Range from 0 to 100%.

The battery size of the EV is 64kWh.
The charging power of the SOLIX F3800 EV outlet port is 3kW.
An estimated charging time is 64÷3 = 21.3 hours

While you can use this method to estimate the charging time for your electric vehicle, it’s worth remembering that a portable power station will be able to deliver a quick charge, but not a full one. For example, using one full charge of the SOLIX F3800 would charge your vehicle for around a 20km ride.

While a solar-powered generator may not be able to charge your EV fully, it can give you the extra power you need for short journeys of up to 20km.

Charging Your Electric Car With a Portable Generator

If you were curious about whether you can charge your electric car with a portable generator, we hope this post has given you confidence in choosing a solar-powered generator for this task.

Remember, it’s essential for the portable power station you choose to be designed for charging EVs. Otherwise, you could risk causing damage to your vehicle and your generator.

At Generators Direct, we offer solar-powered generators for leisure and camping trips at some of the UK’s best prices. Browse our full range of portable power stations here, find out more about the Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station, or contact our team if you need any advice.