A control of the charging of a vehicle battery by means of a generator is disclosed. The generator also supplies an electric on-board power supply of a motor vehicle and an additional consuming device with electric power. However, the additional consuming device is supplied with electric power only when the power demand of the on-board power supply has been met. The supplying of the additional consuming device and the charging of the vehicle battery are controlled as follows: When the power demand of the additional consuming device has not been completely met, when a charging current, which flows from the generator into the vehicle battery, is higher than a limit value, and when the generator power additionally permits the supplying of the additional consuming device, the additional consuming device is supplied with power by the generator, and the charging current is adjusted such that it is lower than the maximally possible charging current while the generator power and the power demand of the on-board power supply are the same.