On the road with a dead laptop? Your car can charge it!

If you’re like me, you’re going to take your laptop everywhere you go — yep, even on vacation.

But doing that comes with the problem of finding somewhere to charge it when there are no AC outlets for miles. Yes, even long-lasting Snapdragon X-powered laptops run out of juice occasionally.

When my laptop battery has run out on trips away it’s been super inconvenient, especially when I’m out camping and the only power source in sight is my trusty set of wheels.

So, now when I go away, I go prepared to utilize my car’s power to charge up my laptop again. Here’s how you can do it too…

Is it possible to fully charge a laptop in a car?

Yes, it is, but how fast it charges depends on the model of laptop you have and its power draw. There are a few things you ought to know about charging, too, to avoid damaging your car battery.

Most laptops need between 30 and 70 watts to charge. That means they need a lot more power than cellphones. Thankfully the average car battery, which has about 600 watt-hours of power, and recharges when the motor is running, is up to the task.

On that last point, though, ideally, you’re going to want to charge your laptop when your car is running rather than when it’s idol, to avoid too much power being discharged from the battery. Car batteries are not made for a long persistent power drain when they’re idol, which can damage and/or flatten them.

That’s unless you have a deep cycle battery installed in your car which can cope with power discharge over a long period. But that’s not advisable. Deep cycle batteries are more commonly used in campervans and can damage your car’s electronics and void your car’s warranty if you install one.

Another tip to prevent your car battery draining is you shouldn’t charge your laptop for more than two hours straight.

Correction: You could and get away with it. Then again, you might not be so lucky and end up flattening the battery, and you wouldn’t want to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere with a partially charged laptop and a flat car battery.

Ways to charge your laptop in your car

Method 1: Directly via a USB-C cable

Most cars come with one or more USB-C ports these days. If your car has one with a high enough wattage, and your laptop also has a USB-C port with Power Delivery, then you can charge your laptop with a USB-C cable. (See our roundup of the best USB-C cables.)

To do so, simply plug one end of your USB-C cable into your car’s USB port and one end into your laptop’s USB-C port and you should immediately see the lightning bolt on your laptop’s battery status icon in the Windows Taskbar appear, which signifies that it’s charging.

This method isn’t the fastest way to charge your laptop in your car, so if you’re in a hurry you might want to try another method.

Method 2: Your laptop’s charger and an inverter

Another method is using a power inverter and your laptop’s charger. You need either an inverter or an adapter (see below) with your charger because car batteries run off DC (direct current) power, while your laptop’s charger is made to use AC power.

The inverter acts as the go-between, converting the current into AC power that your laptop’s battery can store. Once your charger is attached to the inverter, you can plug the inverter directly into your car’s power source.

Power inverters are available to purchase online from stores like Amazon. A lot of people choose this route if they have multiple devices to charge, since inverters usually come with multiple I/O ports to plug into.

Inverters come with different power ratings because they are made to charge different devices, but for a laptop you’re generally going to want to buy one with a power rating between 150W and 300W.

Also know that you don’t want to leave an inverter plugged into your car’s outlet overnight, because again, it could drain the battery.

Method 3: An adapter and your laptop’s charger

Why use a power adapter instead of just using your car’s USB-C port to charge your laptop in your car?

Well, your USB ports might already be occupied, and you don’t want to keep having to swap out the charging cables between your different devices. Or the ports may simply not have the required wattage to charge your laptop.

If that’s the case, an adapter should solve your problem. You can pick up one online for not a lot of money.

Most car adapters plug into your car’s cigarette lighter outlet. One of the benefits of using an adapter is that you don’t need an additional cable — you can just plug your laptop charger into the end of it and then into your laptop, and Bob’s your uncle, you’re charging!

Like an inverter, the adapter will also safely convert the DC current into AC current, and most will provide a lower ampere than an inverter. That’s a good thing because it means that it won’t be as much of a drain on your car battery.

Just note that you will need to find an adapter with a power rating high enough for your specific laptop model.

Method 4: A power bank or solar device

Power banks are very versatile charging devices with the benefit of mobility, in that you can use them to charge your laptop in your car but also take them anywhere you go (even inside your tent on a camping trip). In fact, you don’t even need to connect one to your car’s power outlet.

You will just need to ensure that your power bank is fully charged before you head out on the road. Check also before you buy one that it’s compatible with your laptop model.

Solar panels and / or a foldable solar blanket will also charge a laptop, and some are really accessible, coming with USB-C /PD or other USB ports so that you can charge directly from the back of them without needing a secondary battery pack.

The downside is, you will, of course, require exposure to the sun to generate electricity and there can sometimes be a learning curve before you can operate them successfully.

These devices find a good home on either your car’s roof or hood (but can be placed anywhere), once you’ve reached your destination and need to charge. They also don’t draw any power from your car battery, so it’s not at any risk.

So those are the main options for charging a laptop in your car. Be sure to investigate further and find a setup that works for you.