Man traveling across US Midwest for road trip in his Tesla Model S installs gas generator to avoid stopping to charge but it backfires
Published on Jul 24, 2026 at 2:34 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jul 24, 2026 at 2:34 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This Tesla owner took his Tesla Model S on a road trip across the Midwest, but decided to find a solution for range anxiety.
Range anxiety is still one of the major things holding people back from switching to electric.
The thought of running out of juice and a lack of charging spots puts people off – and while progress is being made, there’s still no one-size-fits-all solution.
As for this YouTuber, well, he did something radical.
Can you run your Tesla using a generator?
Ahead of an 1,800-mile road trip across the Midwest, Tesla owner and YouTuber Matt Mikka installed a gas generator in his Tesla Model S to combat range anxiety.
It sounds like a mad idea, especially when you remember the Model S has a range of 400+ miles, which is not bad.
“I really like my Tesla, but what I don’t like is stopping to charge, especially on a road trip. I don’t even like stopping to fill up my gas-powered car and that’s way faster than charging,” he explained in the video.
Amazingly, Mikka spent around five years planning the project, and then around two years actually designing it.
The system worked, generating electricity for his Tesla while the car was parked and on the move.
But there were two massive problems, and the whole system eventually backfired.
The generator idea actually made things worse, not better
While Mikka did in fact do his road trip without plugging into a charging station once, he still had to stop for fuel to refill the generator. The irony.
Not only that, but his Tesla Model S actually consumed more energy than the generator could produce while driving, which means he still had to stop while the car sat and charged.
Things got worse when he tried slowing down to reduce energy consumption, because the police noticed and they pulled him over.
So that leaves us with two questions and two answers.
Is it possible to fit a backup generator to charge your Tesla on the go? Yes.
Should you? No.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
