6 Best Heavy Duty Inverter Generator Charging Anything from a Phone to a Tesla

From smartphones to laptops to construction equipment to Tesla electric vehicles—modern heavy-duty inverter generators get the job done more efficiently and much more quietly than traditional generators, which run at a constant speed of 3,600 RPM to produce AC power using a mechanical alternator.


At A Glance: 6 Best Heavy Duty Inverter Generator Charging Anything from a Phone to a Tesla


ProductBrandNamePrice
41uiCJ0atnL. SL500WENWEN 56421 30-Amp 3600-Watt Parallel Connection Kit for Inverter GeneratorsCheck Price on Amazon
51jhbX4EqAL. SL500GeneracGenerac 6866 iQ2000 1600 Running Watts/2000 Starting Watts Gas Powered Inverter GeneratorCheck Price on Amazon
51HW+SwowpL. SL500HondaHonda EU2200i 2200-Watt 120-Volt Super Quiet Portable Inverter GeneratorCheck Price on Amazon
51JH+Dhu4RL. SL500Champion Power EquipmentChampion 100110 9200W/11500W Generator 459cc w/Wheel KitCheck Price on Amazon
41N1yXAsRbL. SL500GoPowerGo Power! Weekender SW Complete Solar and Inverter System with 160 Watts of SolarCheck Price on Amazon

* If you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. For more details, please visit our Privacy policy page.

Inverter generators, on the other hand, produce DC power and use a digital alternator to turn it into AC power. Inverter generators run at variable speeds depending on the current demand. The power produced by inverter generators is cleaner, smoother, steadier, and characterized by a low level of total harmonic distortion, making them ideal for charging modern, sensitive electronic devices.

Best Heavy Duty Inverter Generator Charging Anything from a Phone to a Tesla

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1. WEN 56200i

The WEN 56200i is a very quiet and highly portable 4-stroke gas inverter generator that produces noise comparable to the loudness of a normal conversation. The EPA III and CARB Compliant 79.7cc 4-stroke OHV engine produces up to 2,000 surge watts. The WEN 56200i features two three-prong 120 V receptacles, one 12 V DC receptacle, and one 5 V USB port, making it easy for you to charge or power all electric devices.

At full load, the generator limits total harmonic distortion to less than 1.2 percent, eliminating voltage spikes and drops that could potentially damage modern, sensitive laptops, smartphones, and GPS units. While the WEN 56200i is arguably most suited for lightweight tasks, you can link two generators together with the WEN 56421 Parallel Connection Kit to enjoy up to 4,400 surge watts.


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2. Generac iQ2000 (Can Charge a Tesla)

If you own a Tesla and like to take it off the grid, the Generac iQ2000 is one of the most affordable and recommendable charging solutions on the market. This inverter generator outputs 1,600 watts of power, and the optional Parallel Kit lets you connect two iQ2000s together for up to 3,200 watts of running power and 4,000 watts of starting power—plenty to take you and your drained Tesla to the nearest charging station. According to an independent reviewer on YouTube, the Generac iQ2000 produces 12–18 miles of range per gallon of fuel when tested with a Tesla Model S. Not the eco-friendliest way of charging an electric vehicle, by any means, but it gets the job done.

Of course, the Generac iQ2000 has a much wider range of uses than charging electric vehicles. It features three modes of operation (Turbo, Standard, and Economy), allowing you to select the one which best fits your needs. A single convenient dial controls the operation of the inverter generator from start to stop, and an LED dashboard shows the current fuel level, remaining run-time, how much wattage you’re producing, and generator status.


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3. Honda EU2000i (Can Charge a Tesla)

Generators from Honda, both inverter like this one or traditional, are known for their excellent reliability, efficiency, and quiet operation. The Honda EU2000i isn’t an exception. It can run up to 8.1 hours on a single gallon of gasoline, and it’s rated at just 53dBA when running at a quarter of its maximum load capacity.

You can find videos online (like this one) showing the Honda EU2000i inventor generator being used to charge Tesla electric vehicles. If you watch these videos carefully, you’ll notice that people in the videos have shorted the neutral and ground wires together in the second outlet on the generator to trick their Teslas into working with this charger, you can also get a neutral to ground bonding plug. “The generator should be bonded by a wire running from the ground terminal to a cold-water pipe or a main electrical panel ground bus,” as explains one person on YouTube. The generator can add approximately 13.5 miles of rated range per gallon of gasoline, which isn’t too bad for emergency purposes.


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4. Champion Power Equipment 9200W/11500W (Can Charge a Tesla)

The Champion Power Equipment 9200W/11500W generator relies on a 459cc Champion single-cylinder, 4-stroke OHV engine to produce 9,200 running watts and 11,500 starting watts. The generator can run for 10 hours when used at 50 percent of its maximum load capacity. It produces 74 dBA at 23 feet, which is roughly equivalent to the noise produced by city traffic.

The Champion Power Equipment 9200W/11500W generator can be used with the standard Tesla outlet adapter to bring your Tesla back to life in case of a prolonged power outage. The manufacturer uploaded a how-to video on YouTube, showing how easy it is to charge a Tesla with the generator. Like all products from Champion Power Equipment, this generator has a range of safety features that protect both the generator itself as well as anything connected to it.


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5. Go Power! Weekender SW Kit

The Weekender kit contains a 125-watt solar charging unit and a 1,500-watt inverter system, allowing you to run even large AC appliances on solar power. It’s perfect for RV-owners looking for a clean source of electrical energy for weekend trips. The kit comes with everything you need to connect it to your batteries. Because the 1,500-watt inverter that comes with the solar system is quite powerful, it’s generally recommended to install a couple more batteries to take advantage of it.

With the Go Power! Weekender SW Kit and a moderate electricity consumption, you should be able to ditch your noisy generator in favor of solar power. Go Power!, a trusted, recognized leader in the business of solar technology with over 20 years of experience. They stand behind their warranty and are quick to answer any questions their customers may have.


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6. Peppermint Energy Forty2

The Forty 2 by Peppermint Energy is one of the most lightweight and cost-effective portable solar chargers on the market. Peppermint Energy offers three different models: the smallest model, Forty2 Pro, weighs 57 pounds and store up to 500 watt hours; the medium model, Forty2 Pro+, weighs 63 pounds and stores up to 1,000 watt hours; the largest model, Fort2 Max, weighs 75 pounds and stores up to 2,000 watt hours. When you purchase a Forty2 solar charger, you become eligible for 30 percent federal tax credit.

Compared to solar chargers that rely on lead-acid batteries, all Forty2 chargers feature lithium-ion batteries, which are much lighter, require less maintenance, and last 10-times longer before they need to be replaced. Forty2 chargers can either be charged with the included solar panels or any standard wall outlet. You can charge your electric devices from two power outlets and a single USB port, and the charging ports can be customized for international traveling needs.

ProductBrandNamePrice
41uiCJ0atnL. SL500WENWEN 56421 30-Amp 3600-Watt Parallel Connection Kit for Inverter GeneratorsCheck Price on Amazon
51jhbX4EqAL. SL500GeneracGenerac 6866 iQ2000 1600 Running Watts/2000 Starting Watts Gas Powered Inverter GeneratorCheck Price on Amazon
51HW+SwowpL. SL500HondaHonda EU2200i 2200-Watt 120-Volt Super Quiet Portable Inverter GeneratorCheck Price on Amazon
51JH+Dhu4RL. SL500Champion Power EquipmentChampion 100110 9200W/11500W Generator 459cc w/Wheel KitCheck Price on Amazon
41N1yXAsRbL. SL500GoPowerGo Power! Weekender SW Complete Solar and Inverter System with 160 Watts of SolarCheck Price on Amazon

* If you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. For more details, please visit our Privacy policy page.


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