Best Gas Generator for Cybertruck range extender??

[Jethro]

Yep, it might be sacrilege, but I need the range in my camping/off-road vehicle.

I can get the more range than the $16K Tesla “range extender” with a $600 genny and a few gallons AND it weighs 60lbs not 800lbs…much easier to grab when needed.

I’m in the Rocky Mtn. region and most Superchargers are only on the interstate…all the great camping and off-roading are in the outback. PLUS, data is not yet available for CT off-road milage. Steep rock crawling for a few miles has got to consumer lots of power, and minimal regen on the way down.

I can just run a genny overnight to charge up.…now to find the best one. Be great if it could be DC or use 220 for maximum efficiency.

Just look at the map of the Rocky region almost all of the Superchargers are on the Interstate::

Thoughts??

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[Dave Miller]

Yep, it might be sacrilege, but I need the range in my camping/off-road vehicle.

I can get the more range than the $16K Tesla “range extender” with a $600 genny and a few gallons AND it weighs 60lbs not 800lbs…much easier to grab when needed.

I’m in the Rocky Mtn. region and most Superchargers are only on the interstate…all the great camping and off-roading are in the outback. PLUS, data is not yet available for CT off-road milage. Steep rock crawling for a few miles has got to consumer lots of power, and minimal regen on the way down.

I can just run a genny overnight to charge up.…now to find the best one. Be great if it could be DC or use 220 for maximum efficiency.

Just look at the map of the Rocky region almost all of the Superchargers are on the Interstate::

Thoughts??

You can petition Tesla for future Supercharger locations. Petition Tesla to place more Superchargers at trail heads.

 

[fhteagle]

Thoughts

RV Park with 14-50 should be plan A. Generator running all night should be plan G.

 

[Chris9702L]

I agree with you Jethro. I am interested in the generator idea for the limited amount of times that we will need it. Right now I have a Harbour Freight generator that may work. For me they definitely need a supercharger in Woodland Park. I figure we will get 170 miles of range at least. I have a 3500lb camper and a 250lb boat that will go on top of the truck so I should be good.

 

[SKUUT]

I've considered this and see it as viable for remote camping and being able to get back to the nearest chargers. It may or may not be worth pairing with solar.

Article on the subject
https://evadept.com/charging-ev-with-generator/#dynamic_blocks2

I previously looked at these, unsure if compatible though..
https://us.ecoflow.com/products/dual-fuel-generator?variant=40573814014025

EcoFlow's dual fuel generator can produce 25kWh with a 20LB LPG tank and 1.05 gallons of onboard gasoline. Throw in a second LPG tank or a small gas can, and you'd be able to add 30-45kWh total. Runtime would be 16 to 28 hours, depending on how much you needed to produce. I'm sure there is some efficiency loss.

As you said, throw it in the back of your truck and it takes up much less space and is about 8% of the price. LPG can obviously be used for cooking and heating as well if needed while camping.

A setup like this is still fewer emissions than getting there with a standard truck and keep in mind that many supercharger stations have diesel generators as backup of primary/temporary power supply.

Either route you go, I'd recommend a higher-end generator, as these will have the best mufflers/sound dampening to keep the camping experience pleasant for yourself and fellow campers who may be around.

 

[electricAK]

Also interested. In my remote part of Alaska, it's 244 miles and 2500ft elevation gain to the nearest city (Whitehorse, Yukon). There is a 50kw charger halfway which is better than nothing. But a 340 mile range simply won't cut it for all scenarios, like winter driving and bad weather.

The range extender option is out for me, due to price and also needing a full size bed.

Some friends of mine have a Hyundai ioniq with 300mi range. They recently did the 244 mile drive to Whitehorse and ran out of power and had to abandon their car at the top of the pass (in summer). To be fair, it was user error on their part. They left without a full charge, and stopped to charge halfway (50kW charger), but didn't top it off due to crying kids in the back. They had a strong headwind and an uphill leg that zapped more power than they planned on, and had to leave the vehicle.

While I don't expect that to happen to me, it would be nice to have a backup option for these extreme scenarios. We also head into the wilderness quite often on long, remote roads where charging may never be an option.

 

[davelloydbrown]

You can petition Tesla for future Supercharger locations. Petition Tesla to place more Superchargers at trail heads.

Every year, tesla owners get to vote and suggest sites for superchargers.

Another option would be to petition the owner of the campsite to put in a few level two chargers. I believe tesla has a program to encourage businesses to install level two chargers for their customes and employees.

 

[Jethro]

You can petition Tesla for future Supercharger locations. Petition Tesla to place more Superchargers at trail heads.

YES! Good point and I’ve done that…mostly south of Tuscan near the boarder. Need a full charge e going into Mexico.
Still not a real solution

 

[Jethro]

RV Park with 14-50 should be plan A. Generator running all night should be plan G.

SURE! BUT, They are jammed in the summer, so not plan A.

Also cheap hotels BUT it’s not camping.

We enjoy ”boondocking“. We run into a local small town every few days fo supplies…no chargers but always gas.

What about ”plan B, C, D, E, F?? It’s hard to understand if you are a City Glamper

 

[anionic1]

Yep, it might be sacrilege, but I need the range in my camping/off-road vehicle.

I can get the more range than the $16K Tesla “range extender” with a $600 genny and a few gallons AND it weighs 60lbs not 800lbs…much easier to grab when needed.

I’m in the Rocky Mtn. region and most Superchargers are only on the interstate…all the great camping and off-roading are in the outback. PLUS, data is not yet available for CT off-road milage. Steep rock crawling for a few miles has got to consumer lots of power, and minimal regen on the way down.

I can just run a genny overnight to charge up.…now to find the best one. Be great if it could be DC or use 220 for maximum efficiency.

Just look at the map of the Rocky region almost all of the Superchargers are on the Interstate::

Thoughts??

The wall connector uses 48 amps at 240V. So a 240 generator that can put out about 12kVA would be about right. you might go 13kVA just for safety. Pretty typical to find generators in that size. That will go through some gas pulling that amperage. Probably bring 15 gallons. You will get about 40 miles per hour of charge. The standard plug can get about 30 amps at 7.5 kVA at 240V. so you would get about 25 miles of charge per hour. If that works at a lower charge rate. You could bring a lighter generator with you.

 

[CHC]

This will charge it pretty quick. Should fit in the bed
https://westinghouseoutdoorpower.com/products/wgen20000-generator

 

[anionic1]

This will charge it pretty quick. Should fit in the bed
https://westinghouseoutdoorpower.com/products/wgen20000-generator

the best charging solution from tesla is the wall connector at 12kVA. ne sense in carrying around the weight of a generator that can do almost double. and really 12kVA at 40 miles of charge an hour is probably overkill. just use the standard charger at 7.5kVA at 25 miles per hour of charge and get a genset around 8 kVA.

 

[SKUUT]

RV Park with 14-50 should be plan A. Generator running all night should be plan G.

Staying at the local RV park is plan G for some people. Solutions like this make remote travel viable. I've hauled a trailer with kayaks up mountains and into river canyons with a Model 3 and was sweating bullets through the last half, unsure if I'd make it.

 

[SKUUT]

You'll need an inverter generator, definitely recommend dual fuel with total harmonic distortion (THD) <3% to keep your battery safe. Go with a reputable brand, and do your research beforehand. I wouldn't go the cheap route when you're trying to charge an exceeding expensive battery pack. Still, you should not have to spend that much or go that large on the generator. Propane burns semi-clean, so EV drivers can have a clear conscience. Link again to a recommended article, https://evadept.com/charging-ev-with-generator/#dynamic_blocks2

Generators below seem reasonable, at a glance

https://www.amazon.com/Westinghouse-Outdoor-Power-Equipment-iGen4500DFc/dp/B099KSY4XG?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HGPR7BD/?tag=w-gen-20&th=1

 

[CactusPilot]

Just be advised, using a gas generator is possible, but can be tricky. TESLA cars are very power sensitive and the generator needs to be properly grounded or you can do the “Ground Neutral Bond” hack. Your mileage will vary, depending on your generator.

Many videos on this topic on YT…here is one for example..https://youtu.be/0RXb41WpIlc

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