Every EV owner knows the sinking feeling of realizing that their battery is dying and there’s no charging station in sight. A GMC Sierra EV driver recently found a creative solution to his charging woes. The emergency roadside assistance company Sparkcheck911 (@sparkcheck911) uploaded footage of the scene. A flashing green light emanates from the Sierra, indicating that it is indeed receiving power, albeit from an arguably unlikely source: a generator. Can Gas Generators Charge EVs? Sparkcheck911 has posted several videos of stranded electric vehicles. The Nevada-based business shared one that gives insight into the efficiency of its mobile charging rescue service. In the post, it’s charging a Kia Niro. The Niro’s dashboard indicates its battery was at one percent. To reach 100%, the screen showed it would need to be connected to the generator for 8 hours and 50 minutes. A Kia dealership reports that the Niro’s high-capacity 64.8 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery takes two-and-a-half days to fully charge on a 120V home outlet; to get from 10% to 80% on a DC fast charger, it’ll take about 45 minutes. How Fast Do Generators Charge EVs? It’s important to consider power output if you own an EV and are thinking of extending your range by tossing a gas generator in the trunk. If a generator is only equipped with standard three-prong plug adapters, then you’re going to wait a very long time to juice your battery. However, there are portable generators that offer higher wattage. For example, the Wen gasoline/propane generator has a 240-volt NEMA 14-50 port. This will give you Level 2 EV charging speeds. This will be faster than other generators, but you’ll still be sitting for a few hours before your car has enough energy to continue your journey. Some companies sell rigs with Level 2 EV chargers. One called the Apex takes either gasoline or propane. The Apex is capable of 11.5kW outputs, which isn’t going to touch supercharging speeds, but is a decent level 2 charging solution. To put this into perspective, it should fully charge a standard-range Tesla Model 3 from 0% in approximately 5 hours. One electric car enthusiast hooked up a 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning to a Predator 3500 gas generator and posted the results on YouTube. He plugged the car in at 50% battery capacity, aiming to reach 80 percent. It bears mention that the Lightning comes with large batteries: 98kWh or 131kWh, depending on the trim level. In this instance, he’s using a 120-volt standard three-prong port and the cable that came with the truck. He estimates that it would take the generator 36 hours to reach 80%. (It wouldn’t take as long for an EV with a lower-capacity battery, however.) As Sparkcheck911 demonstrates, generators with dedicated Level 2 charging capabilities should help you to get back on the road more quickly. Motor1 has reached out to Sparkcheck911 via TikTok direct message for further comment. We’ll update this if they respond. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team