The lithium battery for your Westfalia.
Westfalia is a name that covers more than one van, and the right battery is not the same in all of them. A classic VW conversion is tight under the seat. A modern James Cook on a Mercedes Sprinter has a DIN-format tray that a TITAN drops straight into. This page tells you which is which, then points you at the case that actually fits.
The name covers more than one van
The Westfalia most people in the UK mean is the classic VW conversion. Westfalia converted Volkswagen from 1951, through the T1, T2, T3 and T4. That partnership ended when VW took the California in-house for the T5, from 2003. Space in those vans is tight. A T3 Joker carried a 12V 63Ah under the driver's seat. The compact 120Ah DIN 096 case (280 x 175 x 190mm) is the usual choice here, with the 100Ah (242 x 175 x 190mm) as the smaller option. A DIN 019 will not fit these. The VW California page covers that tight under-seat fit in more detail.
Modern Westfalia Mobil sits on different bases. The James Cook 600 D and 600 E sit on the Mercedes Sprinter. The Jules Verne sits on the Mercedes Vito (W447). These bases carry a DIN-format auxiliary battery tray under the passenger seat, which is exactly what the TITAN DIN 019 case is built to, so it drops straight in. On some James Cook builds the factory leisure bank sits in the rear, beside the fresh-water tank, and the under-seat position holds the split-charge relay and a 100A fuse. Check both positions rather than assuming the leisure battery is under the seat. The Mercedes Sprinter page covers that tray in more detail.
The Columbus 540, 600 and 640, the Columbus Liner, and the Nansen 600L and 640LS sit on the Fiat Ducato. They have a battery compartment under the passenger seat, but an owner-measured usable space of roughly 345mm long by 295mm wide by 199mm high. A DIN 019 is 355mm long, so it will not go. The 230Ah Underseat case (315 x 280 x 188mm) is the answer here, because that bay has more depth than length. Treat the 345mm figure as an owner measurement, not a factory spec: measure yours. The Fiat Ducato page is the base-vehicle counterpart.
Ford and MAN based models are a shorter list. The Kelsey, Kipling and Club Joker Urban sit on the Transit Custom (2024-on). The Meridian sits on the Transit V363. The Sven Hedin sits on the MAN TGE. Measure the bay and make the same DIN-versus-underseat decision. The Ford Transit page is the place to start if yours is Transit-based.
Kepler One and Kepler Six are on the VW T6.1, so they follow the compact California-style fit. Amundsen was discontinued in 2023 and Columbus replaced it. Club Joker and Club Joker City ended in 2024. The Ford Nugget is Ford-badged and built with Westfalia on the Transit Custom, so Nugget owners are in the right place too.
Sizing a Westfalia
Start with the case that fits the bay, then size the capacity to how you use the van. Space varies by base and build year, so always measure before you buy.
| Model | How it gets used | Good fit |
|---|---|---|
| Compact 120Ah (DIN 096)280 x 175 x 190mm · runtime | Lights, fridge, phones, weekend touring | Classic T2 / T3 / T4 |
| 120Ah (DIN 019)355 x 175 x 190mm · runtime | Like-for-like DIN tray swap, modest kit | James Cook / Jules Verne |
| 150Ah355 x 175 x 190mm · runtime | Heating, fridge, typical touring | Mercedes DIN tray |
| 180Ah355 x 175 x 190mm · runtime | Longer stays, more devices, days off-grid | Mercedes DIN tray |
| 240Ah352 x 182 x 190mm | Heavy use, inverter cooking, longer off-grid | Mercedes DIN tray |
| 230Ah Underseat315 x 280 x 188mm · runtime | Touring with heating, fridge and water | Columbus / Nansen |
These are starting points, not a guaranteed fit. Bays differ by year, trim and base vehicle, so measure your space including terminal height, or send us a photo and a measurement. Total your real loads in the battery size calculator.
Where the battery fits
The home for the leisure battery depends on which Westfalia you have. Measure the bay you actually have, including height for the terminals, before you order.
- Classic VW Westfalia (T2, T3, T4). The leisure battery lives under a seat, and the seat base is the limiting dimension. The compact 120Ah case is designed to fit where a larger lithium pack will not. A DIN 019 will not go in these vans. Measure height as well as the footprint.
- James Cook and Jules Verne (Mercedes). These bases are commonly built with an auxiliary battery provision in a standard DIN tray under the passenger seat, which is exactly the format our batteries are built around. A TITAN DIN lithium drops into the same space as the tired lead-acid that came with the van. On some James Cook builds the factory leisure bank is in the rear, beside the fresh-water tank, with the split-charge relay and a 100A fuse under the seat. Look in both places. Our terminals sit low on the case to help clear the seat frame, which is tight on some swivel bases.
- Columbus and Nansen (Fiat Ducato). There is a compartment under the passenger seat, but it is shorter than a DIN 019. One owner measured roughly 345mm of usable length; a DIN 019 is 355mm long. The 230Ah Underseat case is built for a bay with more depth than length. Measure yours rather than treating that figure as a factory spec.
- Transit Custom, Nugget, Meridian and Sven Hedin. The same two questions apply: is the bay a DIN tray, or is it deeper than it is long? Measure it, then pick a DIN 019 or the 230Ah Underseat. Do not guess from the model name.
The case is IP67 rated, so the casing itself shrugs off dust and water. The only caveat is the RJ45 comms ports, which drop the rating to IP32 while a cable is plugged in, so keep connected ports clear of standing water.
Charging a Westfalia
A Westfalia charges from three sources: the engine alternator while you drive, roof solar through an MPPT, and mains hook-up. Lithium takes all three happily and charges much faster than lead-acid, so a decent drive or a sunny afternoon puts real capacity back rather than a slow trickle.
The Sprinter VS30 (2019-on) is the one that needs care. It runs an aggressive smart alternator that sits around 12.3-12.6V at cruise to save fuel, so a plain split-charge relay or voltage-sensitive relay will not reliably charge lithium. The fix is a DC-DC charger, also called a battery-to-battery charger, and we would fit a Victron Orion every time. It gives the lithium a clean, controlled charge and protects the starter battery. The Mercedes Sprinter page covers that setup in more depth. The Vito W447 behaves in a similar way, with charge voltage rising mainly on braking and coasting rather than at a steady cruise.
You do not need to rip out the original Westfalia or Mercedes factory charger. It charges on an AGM setting, which suits our cells. The legacy Westfalia 12A leisure plus 2A starter unit is a gel IUoU type running roughly 13.6V to 14.4V. Keep it if it is still healthy.
For the roof, a Victron SmartSolar MPPT is the controller we would fit, set to 14.4V absorption and 13.8V float. Plan the array with the solar guide, and check any other charger against the charger compatibility list. Every TITAN carries a custom BMS with a built-in low-temperature heater, so it charges safely down to -30C, and comes with a lifetime, fully transferable warranty. UK-engineered, with end-pack QC in Cheltenham.
