Generators have powered Australian camping, jobsites and home backup for sixty years. Lithium portable power stations turned up about a decade ago and have been eating that market ever since. By 2026 the gap is wide enough to matter. Here's the honest comparison.
A 2kVA inverter generator (the common camping unit) costs $700-1,400 new in Australia. A petrol-engine open-frame generator at the same output is cheaper, around $500-800, but most campsites ban open-frame generators because of noise.
A 1,800W lithium power station like our Roam 1800 is $899 — direct match on output, more capability, no noise.
Verdict: Tie on capital cost. Lithium wins on running cost (no fuel).
A 2kVA generator burns about 0.5-0.7 litres of unleaded per hour at half load. At $2/litre that's $1-1.40 per hour. Over a typical weekend camp running 10 hours, that's $10-14 per trip. Over 5 years of weekend trips, $500-700 in fuel alone.
The lithium power station has no fuel cost. If you also pair it with solar, the marginal energy cost is zero. The break-even between generator and lithium is around 2-3 years for typical weekend use.
Verdict: Lithium, decisively, over the lifetime.
Inverter generators run at 55-65 dB at idle, 65-75 dB under load. Open-frame generators are 80 dB+. For context: 60 dB is a normal conversation, 75 dB is a vacuum cleaner, 85 dB is dangerous if sustained.
Lithium power stations run silent. The only noise is a small cooling fan during high-load AC use, around 40-45 dB — quieter than a fridge.
Verdict: Lithium, massively. Most caravan parks ban generators after 8pm. Quiet trips are now possible.
Generators produce carbon monoxide. CO poisoning kills around 20-30 Australians per year, many in caravans / tents / closed sheds. You cannot legally or safely run a petrol generator inside an enclosed space.
Lithium power stations produce zero emissions and are safe in any enclosed space.
Verdict: Lithium. Generator can't even play in this category.
Generator: oil changes, spark plug, air filter, fuel stabiliser, periodic running to prevent gum-up. A neglected generator becomes a $700 paperweight in 18 months. Service cost: $80-150 per year if you do it yourself, $250-400 if you take it in.
Lithium: turn on, use, charge. No maintenance.
Verdict: Lithium.
Generator: 1,500-3,000 hours of runtime depending on quality and maintenance. Maybe 8-12 years of typical recreational use.
Lithium LFP/LMFP cells: 3,000-4,000 cycles to 80% retained capacity. That's 8-10 years of weekly use. After that, you can have just the cells replaced (Voltsen offers out-of-warranty cell replacement) and get another decade.
Verdict: Comparable, but lithium can be cell-refurbished cheaply.
For 90%+ of Australian use cases — camping, caravanning, jobsite power, home blackout backup — lithium is the right answer in 2026. Same capability, no fuel, silent, indoor-safe, less maintenance.
For the lithium options at three popular price points: Roam 700 ($599), Roam 1800 ($899), Base 2400 ($1,899).
Got a use case we didn't cover? Email us and we'll add it to a future guide.
Join the launch list for a one-time $50 code on orders over $400. One email a fortnight, tops.