This post was updated on: May 1, 2023

While a lithium caravan battery is initially more expensive to purchase, they will last far longer than their lead-acid counterpart.

We consider these batteries more of an investment rather than an expense. If you’re going to be camping a lot, then lithium batteries are your best option. These batteries will last for years and they don’t wear out as quickly as other types do when used often enough.

In today’s world, we rely on electrical equipment more than ever before, and that is why you’ll need a reliable lithium battery to power all of your electronics and appliances.

We have been using lithium batteries in all of our vans since we learned about their benefits, which you can read all about here. Our favourites are #1 and #5, from the list below, especially if you are limited on space.

What Is a Lithium Battery?

Caravan lithium batteries are the latest in camping battery technology. They are ideal for deep cycle battery because of their high energy density. Compared to traditional lead acid battery

batteries, they can save up to 70 per cent in weight and volume and have three times more or over 2000 complete charging cycles.

These batteries provide a number of benefits. They are often smaller in size and lighter than traditional lead acid batteries, which can help to reduce overall payload and leave you with more room in your RV.

Top Five Lithium Batteries to Consider

We narrowed down the options for you to make it easier to find the best lithium battery that will best serve you. Our recommendations are based on the criteria mentioned above. Let’s get started.

1. iTECH120X PRO Lithium Battery – Best Overall

At the number one spot is the iTECH120X PRO. This innovative battery offers the best in functionality and performance.

Quick Look

• Voltage output – 10 to 14.6V
• Battery Capacity – 120Ah
• Technology – LiFePO4
• Weight – 12.5 kg
• Warranty – five-year warranty
• Service life – 4,000+ (100 per cent DoD) or 8,000+ (50 per cent DoD)
• Waterproof design

The iTECH120X PRO Lithium Battery offers the latest in technology and is a newcomer to the market. Don’t be fooled, though! This battery is the result of innovation. In fact, Australian engineers spent more than 10 years designing and developing it.

It is a reliable replacement for your current system that weighs just 12.5kg, has an outstanding 100 per cent usable capacity, and is IP67 waterproof and under-bonnet rated. This product was specially designed to meet the demands of the harsh Australian climate. It offers an impressive voltage output of 10 to 14.6V and includes short circuit protection to avoid damage caused by an electrical surge.

With a cycle life of 4,000+, you won’t be disappointed when you purchase this lithium battery for your caravan. It also includes a protective frame that resists vibration. Camping can come with a few unexpected mishaps. You are often subjected to the elements, and in the event that the worst happens, it’s important to have the assurance that your battery won’t be damaged.

Fortunately, this innovative product is built to be waterproof. Although we would never recommend exposing your lithium battery to water, you never have to worry about damage in the event that it does happen.

If you’re looking for an exceptional all-round lithium battery that delivers on its promises, then we highly recommend giving this one a try!

Check out iTechworld 240X pro review if you are looking for a looking for a larger sized battery

This battery is currently on sale until the end of May 2023 at iTechworld – USE CODE WADEANDDANI FOR 5% OFF

2. Enerdrive B-TEC 125Ah Lithium Battery with Bluetooth – Close Second

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Enerdrive is renowned for its lithium batteries, and in second place on our list of recommendations is the B-TECH 125Ah Lithium Battery. You can enjoy a plethora of intuitive features and cutting-edge technology with this product.

Quick Look

• Voltage output – 12V
• Battery Capacity – 125Ah
• Technology – LiFePO4
• Weight – 15.2 kg
• Warranty – five-year warranty
• Service life – 2,000 charge/discharge cycles
• Smartphone monitoring technology

Although it is considerably heavier than the iTECH120X PRO, this battery offers a number of perks.

The ability to monitor this battery remotely using your smartphone is one of the standout features of this lithium battery. All you have to do to view information about the battery’s capacity, voltage, and more is to download an app.

It also includes Bluetooth functionality that allows you to troubleshoot using your smartphone, which is a significant advantage.

B-TECH batteries are designed to have a greater heat tolerance. You can store this battery for up to 30 days at 20–60 °C with a five to seven per cent relative humidity. However, after 90 days, it must be stored between 10 to 45°C.

It’s worth noting that this battery doesn’t provide the service life you can expect with the iTECH120X PRO. However, with over 2,000 charge/discharge cycles, it is sure to be a reliable companion on your overnight camping trips.

The new G2 model has a built-in reset button that makes restarting a flat battery easy. Now you do not need to apply a voltage to the battery terminals to wake up the battery. Press the button and within seconds, the battery will come back to life ready to accept a charge source that will make it work like new again.

With a five-year warranty, you won’t have to worry about replacing your battery for a long time.

This battery is currently on sale until the end of May 2023 at My Generator

3. Victron 100Ah Smart Lithium Battery – Superior Energy Efficiency

Source cascade_cnc

If you’re looking for a smaller lithium battery, the Victron 100Ah battery is a great option. Although it doesn’t offer many of the features of the previous entries on this list, it still holds its own and provides much in the way of efficiency and functionality.

Quick Look

• Voltage output – 12.8V
• Battery Capacity – 100Ah
• Technology – LiFePO4
• Weight – 15 kg
• Warranty – three-year warranty
• Smartphone monitoring technology

Like the iTECH120X PRO, this battery doesn’t need to be fully charged. You can get a longer service life with partial charging. It also includes a smart app for monitoring performance, like the Enerdrive B-TEC 125Ah Lithium Battery, which is a great perk.

You can also link up to five batteries, and it features a pre-alarm to alert you when the voltage reaches 3.1V. It also offers up to 92 per cent round-trip energy efficiency, making it a fantastic choice for camping.

However, the 100Ah capacity, higher weight, and three-year warranty leave much to be desired. Suppose you are a seasonal traveller; in that case, you may find that this is the perfect option for you.

One feature that we don’t like is the weight. At 15 kg, this battery is definitely not lightweight and transporting it may be a bit of a challenge, so if you intend to move your battery around a lot, we highly recommend choosing another product from this list.

4. Invicta 12V 100Ah Lithium Battery with Bluetooth – Seven-year Warranty

Source Penrith Auto Electrical

The Invicta 12V 100Ah battery is another great choice if you’re looking for a unit with a smaller capacity. With many great features, this product offers exceptional value for money!

Quick Look

• Voltage output – 12V
• Battery Capacity – 100Ah
• Technology – LiFePO4
• Weight – 12.4 kg
• Warranty – seven-year warranty
• Bluetooth monitoring technology

When spending money on a battery, you want to know that you can rely on it to last a long time. With the Invicta, you don’t have to worry about replacing your battery any time soon because it comes with an impressive seven-year warranty.

This is much greater than the other options on this list, which leads us to believe it may just be the most durable.

Plus, with Bluetooth capability and a smart app for tracking performance and a high energy density, you can rely on this battery to provide the power you need while on the road. Like the iTECH120X PRO, it has a strengthening frame specially designed to reduce vibration typical during travel.

It also has short circuit and high-temperature protection, like many of the products on this list. You can also transport it easily, thanks to its lightweight design. However, it does lack some of the features that the iTECH120X PRO has.

Also, note that the Invicta 200Ah and 300Ah batteries are specially designed to overcome inverter start-up issues experienced on larger inverters.

5. Enerdrive B-TECH 100Ah Slim Lithium Battery – Best Slim Battery

Source Josh Dardo

When it comes to camping, saving space is everything. While powering your devices is important, it should not come at the expense of room. If you’re looking for a slim battery to fit snuggly in your caravan, then the Enerdrive B-TCH 100Ah Slim Lithium Battery is a solid choice.

Quick Look

• Voltage output – 12V
• Battery Capacity – 100Ah
• Technology – LiFePO4
• Weight – 12.5 kg
• Warranty – five-year warranty
• Service life – 2,000+ charge/discharge cycles (at 80 per cent charge capacity)

In addition to being the best slim battery on this list, the B-TECH 100Ah also offers a myriad of features that make it suitable for recreational use. It is lightweight at just 12.5 kg and comes with a good, five-year warranty for complete peace of mind.

It also uses LiFePO4 technology for greater efficiency and reliability. This also includes temperature regulation without compromising performance.

However, these impressive features do come at a cost. This battery provides the lowest service life compared to the other options on this list. While it does allow partial charge, similar to the iTECH120X PRO and the Victron 100Ah, you only get 2,000+ charge cycles at an 80 per cent charge capacity.

If you are an occasional traveller, this is a great choice. However, we always recommend going for the best service life possible as they offer the best value for money.

Understanding the specs

Choosing the correct battery might be a struggle at first if you don’t understand the technical specifications. And, no, you don’t necessarily want the biggest battery, with all the bells and whistles.

A mid-range battery might be ideal for you, and you may save money on the purchase. So, let’s look at what all of this terminology means.

Usable capacity

We’re only considering 100Ah batteries for this comparison. In other words, we’re comparing apples to apples, not apples with oranges.

Lithium deep cycle batteries also have a significantly greater practical capacity than an AGM battery. Compared to AGM batteries, which have a usable power of around 50%, good lithium batteries will have about 90-95% usable capacity.

But don’t just believe what the sticker claims. Some batteries will state a capacity of 100Ah, but the ‘usable’ power will be considerably lower, i.e. 90Ah. Other batteries will put down their capacity, claiming that their 110Ah battery has 100Ah usable power. It is common for higher-end brands to underclaim what their battery is capable of.

Maximum charge current

The maximum charge current is the most amount of electricity that a battery can accept while being charged without causing damage. The majority of lithium batteries will have a maximum charge current listed in the specifications. The rule of thumb here is that the lower the number, the longer the battery will last, but multiple batteries on the market claim to be charged at up to 100 amps.

Cycle count

This is where the numbers get interesting. Simply stated, the number of cycles the battery can endure indicates how many times it may be discharged and recharged before reaching the end of the battery life.

For example, let’s say you discharge your battery with the lights and a fridge overnight, then recharge it the next day with solar panels via a solar charger or campervan inverter; that’s one cycle. The only difference here is the depth of discharge.

The average lithium battery will last approximately 2000 cycles at 80% Depth of Discharge (DoD). We’ll come back to that 2000 cycles when we discuss warranties later.

Maximum Continuous Discharge Current

This has to do with how much power the battery can be drained at once. For example, a refrigerator rated for 12 volts will draw about 5 amps maximum when in use; an inverter rated for 1200 watts will consume around 100 amps at total capacity; and a 2500 watts inverter will utilise around 200 amps at full tilt.

It’s simple: if you don’t have a coffee machine, microwave, portable air conditioner, or induction cooktop, anything more than a 50A draw will likely suffice. If you need to draw a lot of power, your only choice is high-draw alternatives like banks or parallel battery configurations.

Cell design

The shape of a battery cell has evolved over time. Lithium batteries used to be produced in the form of 18650 cylindrical cells, which were similar to AA batteries but thicker and longer. To make battery banks of 12.8V and 100Ah, these cylindrical batteries are connected together using plastic frames.

Types are:

• CYLINDRICAL CELLS
• PRISMATIC CELL
• POUCH CELL

Nowadays, almost all lithium batteries have a ‘prismatic’ cell arrangement with four prismatic cells or rectangle-box cells at 3.2V and 100Ah, and each is connected in series to generate the nominal 12.8V we require to run our equipment.

The prismatic cells can take a beating and are more durable than the old-style cylindrical cells, making them better suited for a lithium caravan batteries.

Depth of Discharge

Depth of Discharge means how far you discharge the battery. For example, if you use 60 amp-hours (Ah) of a 100Ah battery, you’ve discharged it to 60 per cent Depth of Discharge (60% DoD). If you use 90Ah of your 100Ah battery, you’ve discharged to 90% DoD.

This is important to help keep your battery in the best condition. Battery testing is not always as straightforward as you might think. For instance, if a battery has an 80% DoD rating of 2500 cycles, it should last for 2500 days or 6.84 years before dying. It also means that the same battery may have a 50% DoD rating of 5000 cycles.

The examples above are pretty basic, and it should be noted that on some days, the batteries may be cycled through several cycles while utilising inverters for coffee machines or cookers, fans or lights, for example.

What to look for in a battery

The most important thing to look for is an item created or at least designed in Australia. The vast majority of lithium batteries are manufactured in China. Still, if the lithium cells and the internal battery management system (BMS) are designed and built into batteries in Australia, the quality control should be better. That isn’t a hard requirement, though. Some manufacturers are making good-quality batteries in China; this is just our recommendation.

The next element to consider is weight. A 100Ah battery should weigh about 11-12kg. You’d have to doubt the quantity of lithium (therefore amp hour rating) if it weighs less than that.

The next thing you should search for is a well-known brand. There are several individuals importing lithium batteries and conducting questionable companies. If you’re going to spend money on lithium batteries, make sure the manufacturer/distributor will be there in the future, or next year, to assist you if you have any issues.

Finally, make sure the battery you pick is backed by a good guarantee. A five-year warranty should be expected with lithium batteries. They should last you at least five and a half years if they have 80% DoD lifespans of 2000 cycles or more, so the warranty should be around that point. 

Final thoughts

If you’re looking to invest in a 12V battery for your campervan, consider lithium. It’s more expensive upfront but will last longer and is easily transferable from vehicle to vehicle as you upgrade or replace your van.

It’s also worth considering the Lifepo4 version of lithium batteries if you live in colder areas. They’re more expensive but can work well down to around -10 degrees Celsius without having any issues.

Finally, an important note: don’t mix and match different brands of lithium batteries or power banks. If you have two batteries, they should be of the same type and brand. If you mix and match, they’ll likely work for a while but may get upset with each other after some time.

Lithium is not a miracle solution, but it’s a good choice that will last you longer and perform better.

If you’ve got any comments or questions, please leave them below! I’ll reply as soon as possible. Thanks for looking at our post!

To learn a little more before deciding check out our articles Campervan Battery: The Ultimate Guide and  AGM vs Lithium Batteries