What is the best battery for a camper van?

For most camper vans, a LiFePO4 (lithium) battery is the best choice. They are lighter, last longer and you can use more of the capacity. If budget is limited, AGM is a good starting point.

How many Ah battery do I need in my camper van?

This depends on your consumption. An average camper van needs 100-200Ah lithium (or 200-300Ah AGM). First calculate your daily consumption with our calculator and multiply by the number of days of autonomy.

Can I charge a lithium battery with a regular charger?

No, lithium batteries need a specific charge profile. Use a charger, B2B charger or MPPT charge controller that is explicitly rated for LiFePO4. Incorrect charging can damage the battery.

Can I charge a lithium battery in freezing weather?

No. LiFePO4 must not be charged at a cell temperature below 0 °C; it causes permanent damage you cannot see from the outside. Discharging in the cold is fine. Choose a battery with built-in heating or with low-temperature protection in the BMS, or mount the battery inside the heated living space. Check this explicitly before buying, because not every cheap lithium battery has that protection.

How much does a battery bank weigh?

A 100 Ah lithium battery weighs about 12 to 15 kg, a 100 Ah AGM about 25 to 30 kg. Because you need twice the AGM capacity for the same usable energy, the gap widens fast: where 100 Ah of lithium is enough, you need 200 Ah of AGM and are quickly carrying 50 to 60 kg instead of 15. Factor that into your payload calculation.

What exactly does a BMS do?

A Battery Management System monitors the individual cells in a lithium battery and disconnects on overvoltage, undervoltage, overcurrent or a temperature outside the permitted range. It also balances the cells so they stay in step. Every off-the-shelf LiFePO4 battery has one built in. It is not a legal requirement, but it is the reason such a battery can be used safely, and its quality varies considerably between brands.

Can I run my existing AGM alongside a new lithium battery?

Not in parallel on the same bus. The two types have different charge voltages and behave very differently on discharge; the lithium would do most of the work and the AGM would never charge properly. If you want to use both, keep them separate with their own charging source per battery, for example the starter battery on the alternator and the house battery on a DC-DC charger.

Choosing the right battery for your camper van

The battery is the heart of your camper van electrics. It stores the energy your solar panels generate and provides power when the sun is not shining. But which type of battery should you choose, and how much capacity do you need? In this guide we compare the options and help you make the right choice.

Calculate your battery bank

Electrical Planner→Charging Time Calculator→Energy Timeline→

Lithium (LiFePO4) vs AGM vs gel: the differences

There are three commonly used battery types for camper vans: Lithium (LiFePO4): the most modern choice. You can use 80-100% of the capacity, they are light (half the weight of AGM), last 3000-5000 cycles and charge fast. Downside: high purchase price (€400-€800 per 100Ah). AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat): affordable and reliable. Good for beginners. You can use 50% of the capacity, they last 500-800 cycles. Price: €100-€200 per 100Ah. Gel: similar to AGM but slightly better at handling deep discharge. Slightly more expensive than AGM, less popular with new converters. For most camper van builds, lithium is the best long-term investment despite the higher purchase price.

How much battery capacity do you need?

The required capacity depends on two factors: your daily consumption and how many days of autonomy you want. Step 1: Calculate your daily consumption in Ah (amp-hours). An average camper van uses 40-70 Ah per day. Step 2: Decide how many days you want to go without charging. For most camper vans, 1-2 days is sufficient if you have solar panels. Step 3: Account for depth of discharge (DoD): • Lithium: 80-100% usable → 70 Ah/day × 2 days = 140 Ah needed • AGM: 50% usable → 70 Ah/day × 2 days ÷ 0.5 = 280 Ah needed This explains why many camper vans with lithium use a single 200Ah battery, while with AGM you need two 150Ah batteries for the same result.

Wiring batteries in parallel or series

If one battery doesn't provide enough capacity, you can combine multiple batteries: Parallel (+ to +, - to -): capacity adds up, voltage stays the same. Two 12V 100Ah batteries become 12V 200Ah. This is the most common method for 12V systems. Series (+ to - of the next): voltage adds up, capacity stays the same. Two 12V 100Ah batteries become 24V 100Ah. Only useful if you are building a 24V system. Important: only wire batteries of the same type, brand and age in parallel. Mismatch between batteries leads to uneven charging and shorter lifespan.

Where to place batteries in your camper van

Battery placement matters for several reasons: Weight: batteries are heavy (a 200Ah lithium weighs ~25 kg, AGM ~60 kg). Place them as low as possible and preferably above or near the axle for good weight distribution. Cables: the shorter the cables between battery and heavy consumers (inverter!), the better. Every meter of cable = more resistance and heat. Ventilation: AGM and gel batteries can release hydrogen gas when overcharged. Ensure ventilation to the outside. Lithium batteries do not have this problem. Temperature: batteries perform best between 10-30°C. Avoid placing them near heat sources or in locations that freeze.

What a battery really costs over its lifetime

The purchase price tells only half the story. What counts is what you pay per usable kilowatt-hour, multiplied by the number of times you can take it out. Take a 100 Ah lithium battery at around 500 euros. At 12V that is 1.2 kWh, of which you use some 80 to 90 percent: roughly 1.0 kWh per cycle. Over 3000 cycles that works out at about 0.17 euro per kWh. A 100 Ah AGM at around 150 euros is the same 1.2 kWh, but you use half of it: 0.6 kWh per cycle. Over 600 cycles that is about 0.42 euro per kWh. Across its lifetime lithium is therefore two to three times cheaper, while looking three times more expensive at purchase. On top of that you need half the capacity in lithium for the same usable energy, which saves weight and space again. The caveat: that sum only holds if you actually make the cycles. If you spend five weekends a year on a campsite with shore power you will never reach 3000 cycles and AGM is perfectly fine. If you travel full time, lithium pays for itself.

Charging: how fast is allowed?

Every battery has a maximum charge current, expressed as a C-rate. 0.5C means you may charge at half the capacity in amps: a 100 Ah battery then accepts 50 A at most. LiFePO4 generally tolerates up to around 0.5C, and many cells handle more. That is exactly why lithium is full so quickly: empty to full in two hours is not unusual. Lead, AGM and gel sit considerably lower, somewhere between 0.1C and 0.25C depending on the manufacturer. A 100 Ah AGM would rather see 10 to 25 A than 50 A. Charging harder costs you lifetime. Always check the datasheet of your specific battery, because the spread between brands is wide. This feeds straight into your charging sources. A 50 A DC-DC charger is fine for lithium but far too aggressive for a 100 Ah AGM. Our DC-DC calculator works this out and warns you when no standard size stays within your battery's safe charge current. Just as important as the current is the charge profile. Lithium and lead want different charge voltages and behave differently at the end of the charge. A charger set for lead will not fill lithium completely, or will hold it at voltage for longer than necessary. So set your mains charger, MPPT and DC-DC charger all three to the correct battery type; the values are in the cheatsheet and in your battery's datasheet.

Lithium and cold: the point most people miss

LiFePO4 must not be charged below freezing. Discharging is no problem and works well far below zero. But charging at a cell temperature under 0 °C causes lithium plating on the anode, and that damage is permanent and invisible from the outside. In a camper this is not a theoretical scenario. If the battery sits in an unheated locker or under the floor, it will be that cold on a winter night. Then the sun comes out or you start the engine, and charge current begins to flow into a battery that is still below zero. There are three solutions. A battery with built-in heating that warms itself before accepting charge. A BMS with low-temperature protection that simply blocks charge current until the battery is warm enough. Or mounting the battery inside the heated living space, which is the most practical choice anyway. Check this before you buy. Not every cheap LiFePO4 has low-temperature protection, and in winter camping that is the difference between a battery that lasts ten years and one damaged after a single season.

Common mistakes with the battery bank

1. Calculating with nominal instead of usable capacity. A 200 Ah AGM gives you 100 Ah in practice. Always work with usable capacity, or you will end up with half of what you thought you had. 2. Mixing old and new batteries. Batteries in parallel share current according to their internal resistance. An older battery drags the new one down to its level, so you pay for the capacity of the weakest and wear out the strongest faster. Same type, same brand, same age. 3. Running the battery cable too thin or unfused. This is the cable with the highest short-circuit current in your whole installation. It needs a fuse as close to the positive terminal as possible, and with lithium a fuse able to safely interrupt a high short-circuit current. 4. Forgetting that lithium draws current while you do nothing. The BMS itself consumes a little continuously, as do your inverter on standby, your alarm and your tracker. Across three months of winter storage that adds up to tens of amp-hours. 5. Mounting the battery somewhere you can never reach again. You want to be able to inspect the terminals, retighten the clamps and eventually replace the battery without dismantling your furniture.

Calculate your battery bank

Use our free tools to calculate the right battery capacity based on your consumption and desired autonomy.

Electrical Planner→Charging Time Calculator→Energy Timeline→

Frequently asked questions

What is the best battery for a camper van?: For most camper vans, a LiFePO4 (lithium) battery is the best choice. They are lighter, last longer and you can use more of the capacity. If budget is limited, AGM is a good starting point.
How many Ah battery do I need in my camper van?: This depends on your consumption. An average camper van needs 100-200Ah lithium (or 200-300Ah AGM). First calculate your daily consumption with our calculator and multiply by the number of days of autonomy.
Can I charge a lithium battery with a regular charger?: No, lithium batteries need a specific charge profile. Use a charger, B2B charger or MPPT charge controller that is explicitly rated for LiFePO4. Incorrect charging can damage the battery.
Can I charge a lithium battery in freezing weather?: No. LiFePO4 must not be charged at a cell temperature below 0 °C; it causes permanent damage you cannot see from the outside. Discharging in the cold is fine. Choose a battery with built-in heating or with low-temperature protection in the BMS, or mount the battery inside the heated living space. Check this explicitly before buying, because not every cheap lithium battery has that protection.
How much does a battery bank weigh?: A 100 Ah lithium battery weighs about 12 to 15 kg, a 100 Ah AGM about 25 to 30 kg. Because you need twice the AGM capacity for the same usable energy, the gap widens fast: where 100 Ah of lithium is enough, you need 200 Ah of AGM and are quickly carrying 50 to 60 kg instead of 15. Factor that into your payload calculation.
What exactly does a BMS do?: A Battery Management System monitors the individual cells in a lithium battery and disconnects on overvoltage, undervoltage, overcurrent or a temperature outside the permitted range. It also balances the cells so they stay in step. Every off-the-shelf LiFePO4 battery has one built in. It is not a legal requirement, but it is the reason such a battery can be used safely, and its quality varies considerably between brands.
Can I run my existing AGM alongside a new lithium battery?: Not in parallel on the same bus. The two types have different charge voltages and behave very differently on discharge; the lithium would do most of the work and the AGM would never charge properly. If you want to use both, keep them separate with their own charging source per battery, for example the starter battery on the alternator and the house battery on a DC-DC charger.