Energy management under the vehicle: the clever alternative to interior conversion
Know the problem? You're planning your camper conversion or want to make your motorhome more self-sufficient, but interior space is tight. The inverter hums away under the bed at night, the batteries eat up valuable storage, and running cables through the whole vehicle is a challenge. Dzoni Umeroski, founder and managing director of JuiceParts, has come up with a solution that's as unconventional as it is practical: JuiceTray, an underfloor mounting system that moves your entire energy management setup out of the vehicle and underneath it.
How the idea for JuiceTray came about
The system was developed to solve a very practical problem:
"Customers were bothered by how loud the inverter was in the sleeping area, the batteries didn't fit in the designated compartments, and the long cable runs through the vehicle were often impractical," Umerowski explains in a CamperStyle interview.
As a trained vehicle pre-development engineer with 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, the resourceful developer started tinkering. The key question was: where is there unused space that could work for the power electronics? The answer turned out to be under the vehicle. On models like the Mercedes Sprinter, MAN TGE or VW Crafter in particular, there's an area normally reserved for the spare wheel. But many campers skip the spare wheel entirely or mount it somewhere else.
Listen to the full interview here:
How the underfloor mounting system works
The JuiceTray system consists of a sturdy metal frame with automotive-standard KTL coating, giving it top-level corrosion protection. This base mount is attached to the vehicle's cross members using nine drill holes and threaded inserts. Installation happens from below, on a vehicle lift.
The housing itself is split into two compartments. The right side holds the batteries. You can choose from various capacities: from two 100-amp batteries up to larger units with 150 or 180 amp-hours. Even common under-seat batteries, like the ones built into the Fiat Ducato, fit right in. All told, this setup can deliver 300 to 520 amp-hours of self-sufficiency.
The left compartment houses the rest of the electronics: the solar charge controller, the charge booster for charging while driving, and the inverter. Currently, Mastervolt inverters with 2,000 or 3,000 watts, as well as Votronic inverters, are approved for the system. Other brands can be checked on request.
The housing is covered with a top and bottom shell, both fully waterproof. The top shell is fitted with a special seal, while the bottom shell is secured with 28 screws. The whole setup looks a bit like an engine cover and is designed to be just as easy to service.
The benefits of the underfloor solution
The most obvious benefit is the extra space you gain. According to Dzoni Umerowski, moving the power electronics outside saves you around 100 liters of built-in volume inside the vehicle. That's room you can use for storage, furniture, or simply more space to move around.
Another factor is noise. Inverters are usually installed under the bed and can disturb your sleep with vibrations and fan noise. With the JuiceTray, that problem is a thing of the past. All the electronics sit outside the living space entirely.
The driving dynamics also benefit from this setup, Umerowski explains. Placing the heavy batteries and electronics low down shifts the vehicle's center of gravity downward, improving road handling. The system is also mounted centrally in the vehicle, which avoids uneven loading on one side.
Physically separating the lithium batteries from the living area also provides extra safety, so the developer. Some campers deliberately prefer this solution to minimize potential risks.
Which vehicles is the system suitable for?
Juice Parts currently offers the mounting system for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter from six meters up to the long wheelbase version, the MAN TGE, and the VW Crafter. For the Stellantis Group, which includes Fiat, Citroën, and Peugeot, among others, the system is announced for next year.
The modular design is key here. The housing with the technology stays the same — only the mount is adapted to the specific vehicle model. In theory, this also means you could take the system with you if you switch vehicles.
Installation and availability
Important: the JuiceTray is not a DIY product. Installation may only be carried out by trained specialist dealers. JuiceParts has partnered with FrankanaFreiko for this, who handles distribution and is building a growing dealer network. JuiceParts will soon publish on its website which dealers have already been trained.
Alternatively, you can drive directly to the company headquarters in Rottenburg am Neckar near Stuttgart, where the JuiceParts team carries out the installation themselves.
How much does the underfloor solution cost?
The empty housing, including the vehicle-specific base mount, costs 2,999 euros gross at Frankana Freiko. On top of that come the costs for fitting it out with an inverter, chargers, and batteries. The inverters range from 1,400 to 1,800 euros depending on the model. For the batteries, you're free to choose whichever you like, as long as they're standard DIN sizes and fit the system.
Verdict: a clever solution for more space and comfort
The JuiceTray system is an innovative answer to a problem many campers know all too well. Instead of sacrificing valuable interior space for batteries and power electronics, this solution makes use of unused space underneath the vehicle. You gain around 100 liters of storage space, plus more quiet at night and better handling on the road.
The system is especially interesting for anyone building out their vehicle from scratch or looking to optimize an existing setup. The modular design and the collaboration with established manufacturers like Mastervolt and Votronic ensure both flexibility and quality.
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