Charging an electric car at an off-grid cabin
A power station can charge a car, but slowly and not far. One full station adds roughly 7 to 8 miles at normal household-outlet charging speed.
How fast cars charge
| Type of charging | EPA says | Department of Energy says (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Household outlet (120 V), called Level 1 | About 5 miles of range per hour, assuming 1.9 kW | 2 to 5 miles per hour |
| 240 V circuit, called Level 2 | Not shown. The two sources give different miles per hour. | |
The two sources line up on the household-outlet speed. They give different figures for 240 V charging, so that number stays off this page. The Department of Energy page dates from 2016, and both say speeds vary by car and charger. Level 1 only
Sources: EPA, Plug-in Electric Vehicle Charging: The Basics; Department of Energy, Fact #919 (Apr 4, 2016). Read Nov 5, 2026.
What a station adds
EPA's numbers work out to about 380 Wh per mile (1,900 W for 5 miles). That's our arithmetic from EPA's figures, not an EPA number. We also assume 15% of the energy is lost on the way from battery to car. Change that in the sizing tool.
| Station | Stored energy | Miles it adds at household-outlet speed |
|---|---|---|
| BLUETTI Elite 300 | 3,014 Wh | About 7 miles |
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro | 3,600 Wh | About 8 miles |
Why the faster kind is out
EPA's faster example draws 6.6 kW. The most either station can put out is 2.4 kW (BLUETTI) or 3.6 kW (EcoFlow). So these stations can only do the slow kind.
What we haven't found
- Whether a given car and charger will accept power from a station. We found no maker guidance, so ask both makers in writing.
- Solar sizing for a cabin. Not covered yet.
- Any cabin appliance wattages from manuals.