A fast USB car charger can be a great backup power source for laptops, battery banks, and other devices during emergencies or unexpected trips. If you don’t have one already, you should get one.

I recently bought a 130W UGREEN car charger (pictured above) for the grand total of $27, which has two USB Type-C ports and one USB Type-A. It can output 100W of power through one USB-C port, 22.5W on the USB Type-A connector, and 30W on the other USB-C port. There are some other similar high-power car chargers from other manufacturers, like the Anker Nano Car Charger, but the UGREEN is the one I’ve been using for a few weeks.

The Need for Speed

I don’t usually need fast charging for my phone in the car, since my phone gets charged overnight, and my car’s regular USB port can keep it powered up while I’m on the road. There are still situations where fast charging a phone comes in handy, though. If you have a power outage at home, or forget to plug it in overnight, a fast charger can potentially give you a day of usage much faster than a typical 10-15W car USB port or basic car charger.

Fast USB-C car chargers aren’t just for smartphones. Many tablets, laptops, portable power banks, PC handhelds, Nintendo Switch consoles, and other devices use the same USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) standard. My M1 MacBook Air can charge over USB-C at up to 45W, so this UGREEN car charger can fully recharge the laptop within a few hours. There are also reports of people using these fast car chargers for Starlink Mini antennas, DJI drone battery docks, and other devices with USB-C inputs.

You could already use car power inverters to power laptops and other larger devices from a car cigarette lighter/accessory port, but USB fast chargers are more compact and don’t require you to also bring along wall chargers. Car USB chargers also more power-efficient than inverters, since power isn’t being converted at all—the car’s battery and USB both use DC power.

A Great Backup

I bought my 130W car charger mostly as a backup power solution for emergencies, rather than everyday phone charging. In the event of an extended power outage or unexpected road trip, it can quickly top up my phone, laptop, and anything else if I don’t have a charged portable battery around.

There are a few catches to using these high-power car chargers. Most vehicles shut off power to the cigarette lighter/accessory port when the car is turned off—otherwise, whatever is plugged in will slowly drain the vehicle’s battery until it dies and you need a jumpstart. It’s also possible to blow the fuse in the port on some cars if the charger is drawing too much power. Check what your vehicle can handle and do a test charge before an emergency happens.

If you don’t have one already, I recommend picking up a charger like UGREEN 130W Car Charger, especially if you have USB-C devices that require more power to charge at full speed.