Ford F-150 Lightning Owner Builds Hitch-Mounted Generator to Eliminate Range Anxiety While Towing

A Kansas owner of a Ford F-150 Lightning has created a custom hitch-mounted generator system designed to charge his electric truck while driving, aiming to match the range of competitors like the Silverado EV. Martin Meek Jr., the creator behind the Martin Rebuilds YouTube channel, built the setup—dubbed Everdrive—because he didn’t want to wait for a factory range-extended F-150 Lightning EREV. The system utilizes a Ford-branded tri-fuel generator built under license by Pulsar, featuring a 1-liter engine that runs on gasoline, propane, or natural gas. The unit is rated at 28,000 peak watts and 20,000 continuous watts, mounted on a custom heavy-wall receiver carrier that extends about 32 inches. It feeds a Ford Charge Station Pro—an 80-amp, 19.2 kW wall charger—delivering about 18.3 kW to the truck after losses. The test vehicle is a 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat Extended Range with the Max Tow package, which features a 131 kWh usable battery and an EPA range of 320 miles. The builder notes that 2022 and 2023 Extended Range models accept 19.2 kW on AC power, whereas 2024 models are limited to 11.5 kW. During testing, cabin noise increased to about 76 dB at 70 mph, up from 73 dB without the generator. At a speed of about 40 mph, the truck uses roughly the same power the generator puts in, allowing the battery to hold steady so the vehicle can run continuously as long as fuel is supplied. The setup was recently put to the test towing a Tesla home through sleet, hail, and rain. On a winter test drive covering about 150 miles each way in central Kansas with a headwind, the truck arrived with 25 percent battery remaining while the generator pushed about 18 kW the entire way, yielding 1.1 mi/kWh. The builder estimates the complete Everdrive kit could cost between $5,000 and $6,000, which includes a generator that retails for about $2,800 at Lowe’s and an $800 charger, though it was not listed for sale on the Martin Rebuilds online store at the time of publication.