Overlanding and off-road: how to install a dual battery system in a 4x4 pickup

Volkswagen has updated the Grand California with solar panels and lithium batteries, and launched a special California Ocean Generation edition. Prices in Germany start from €833 for batteries and from €91,309 for Generation.

Dicot Designs has introduced the Mesa camper van based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, designed for remote travel. The vehicle features all-wheel drive, BFGoodrich all-terrain tires, an Apex Precision System for rapid tire pressure adjustment, and an Evictus pneumatic suspension kit. The fuel tank capacity has been increased to 170 liters, providing a range of approximately 1500 km, and the roof is equipped with a solar panel and a tent.

During long winter storage, the auxiliary batteries in camper vans and motorhomes can discharge due to cold and parasitic loads. Different battery types—lead-acid, AGM, and lithium LiFePO₄—require distinct preservation methods: a full charge and a maintainer for the first two, and a 50–70% charge with complete disconnection for the latter. The key measure is physically isolating the battery from all loads, including alarms and solar charge controllers.