The ALL-IN-ONE Underdeck Advantage
The single most compelling product story for OEMs is the PTO Shaft-Driven Underdeck ALL-IN-ONE Power System®. It is, in practical terms, a complete mobile power plant that lives beneath the truck body — invisible to the operator, invisible to the load, and invisible to the body compartment layout.
Six Forms of Power. One 550-lb Assembly.
The Underdeck ALL-IN-ONE replaces up to six separate pieces of equipment with a single integrated system mounted under the chassis:
- 125-185 CFM oil-flooded rotary screw air compressor
- 10kW AC generator with 120V and 240V output
- 330A stick welder with optional remote foot pedal control
- 12V/24V battery charging and engine jump-start (upgradable to 36V/48V)
- Up to 30 GPM at 2,000 PSI of hydraulic-driven power
For OEMs, the implications are significant. Mounting six separate machines in or on a truck body consumes bed space, adds weight, creates multiple maintenance touchpoints, and complicates the body layout. The Underdeck ALL-IN-ONE eliminates all of that.
Weight savings exceed 2,000 lbs compared to equivalent separate systems — which translates directly into payload capacity, fuel efficiency, and GVW compliance. Bed space that was previously consumed by equipment is returned to the operator for tools and materials. Vehicle hitches are freed. Maneuverability improves.
Built-In Reliability Features
Vanair® engineers reliability into the hardware, not the maintenance schedule. Four patented and exclusive innovations are built into every Underdeck system, each targeting a specific failure mode that costs fleets time and money in the field:
- FailSafe® Dual Sensor Redundancy System: If a thermistor or transducer sensor fails, the system automatically switches to the backup unit without interrupting power output. Crews stay productive; downtime stays on the ground.
- ThermalGuard® Weather Protection Kit (optional): A system that preheats compressor oil and regulators using the vehicle’s engine coolant. This prevents oil starvation and freeze-ups in cold-weather operations, a critical consideration for utility and infrastructure fleets operating year-round.
- UltraLife® 6,000-Hour Air/Oil Separator Element: Standard separator elements typically require replacement every 1,000 to 2,000 hours. The UltraLife® element is engineered to last up to 6,000 hours, cutting separator-related maintenance intervals by up to 75% and reducing the total cost of ownership over the life of the vehicle.
- XERO® Rapid Blow Down Tank: Compressed air systems that hold pressure after shutdown create a safety hazard and slow restarts. The XERO® tank rapidly depressurizes the system at shutdown, protecting the operator and allowing faster, safer restarts the next time the truck goes to work.
Every one of these features is a Vanair® exclusive. No other underdeck compressor manufacturer offers this combination of sensor redundancy, cold-weather protection, extended separator life, and rapid depressurization in a single integrated system.
For van body upfitters specifically, the underdeck architecture solves a problem that has historically been difficult: delivering compressed air and welding capability inside an enclosed body without managing exhaust routing or heat buildup. The system mounts outside the body envelope entirely.
EPEQ®: Electrified Power Equipment® for the Modern Work Truck
Idle reduction mandates, fleet sustainability targets, cost reductions, and operator demand for quieter jobsites are reshaping what customers expect from a work truck. Vanair’s EPEQ® Electrified Power Equipment® ecosystem is the OEM answer to that shift.
EPEQ® is not a single product. It is a scalable, integrated platform that OEMs can specify across a wide range of vehicle types and duty cycles.
The EPEQ® ecosystem is engineered as an end-to-end, integrated system — not a collection of aftermarket components. Every element is designed to work together, which simplifies the upfitter’s build process and gives the end customer a cleaner, more reliable result.
The OEM Engineering Process
Vanair’s OEM program is not a product selection exercise. It is a solution-based, collaborative engineering engagement built around the specific vehicle platform, body configuration, and end-user requirements.
How the Process Works
Step 1: Needs Assessment Vanair’s sales and engineering teams engage directly with the design team. Available chassis space, PTO configuration, working environment, duty cycle, and target application are all evaluated before any system is specified.
Step 2: System Configuration Vanair® draws from its full product portfolio to configure the right solution — whether that is a standard catalog system adapted for the application, a modified variant, or a fully custom-engineered package. The goal is to get it right the first time, not to iterate through field failures.
Step 3: Integration Support Vanair’s engineering team provides hands-on support throughout the integration process. Mounting configurations, wiring diagrams, control panel placement, and operator interface design are all part of the engagement.
Step 4: After-Sale Support The relationship does not end at delivery. Vanair® provides responsive customer service and technical support after the sale — which matters when OEMs are supporting fleets in the field.
Why OEMs Choose Vanair®
- Single-source accountability: One partner owns the entire power system, not three vendors pointing fingers at each other when there is a challenge in the field.
- Proven engineering depth: Vanair’s team includes some of the industry’s most experienced mobile power engineers, with decades of application knowledge across utility, construction, oil and gas, and infrastructure.
- Lincoln Electric backing: As a Lincoln Electric company, Vanair® brings the resources, manufacturing scale, and engineering rigor of a global industrial leader to every OEM engagement.
- Portfolio depth for any spec: From a 5 CFM electrified compressor on a light-duty van to a six-function underdeck system on a heavy utility truck, Vanair® can meet the spec.
Industries and Applications
Vanair® OEM systems are specified across a wide range of vocational markets. OEMs serving any of these industries will find relevant, proven configurations in the Vanair® portfolio:
- Electric and Gas Utility: Aerial device trucks, digger derricks, and line maintenance vehicles requiring compressed air, generation, and hydraulic power in a single integrated package
- Telecommunications: Service vans and bucket trucks where space is at a premium and idle reduction is a fleet priority
- Construction and Infrastructure: Heavy-duty trucks requiring welding, air, and generation capability on a single chassis
- Oil and Gas: Remote-location vehicles where reliability and cold-weather performance are non-negotiable
- Municipal and Government: Fleet vehicles subject to idle reduction ordinances and sustainability mandates, where EPEQ® electrified solutions offer a direct compliance path
- Van Upfitters: Enclosed-body service vehicles where the underdeck architecture eliminates exhaust and heat management challenges entirely
The breadth of this application list reflects a core truth about Vanair’s OEM value: the same engineering team that specs a utility truck underdeck system can configure an electrified van auxiliary power solution. Upfitters do not need to find a different partner as their customer base evolves.
Start the Conversation
The best OEM power partnerships start at the design table, not after the body is already built. Vanair’s engineering team is available to engage early in the specification process, evaluate your vehicle platform and application requirements, and recommend the right system configuration before a single bracket is welded.
Ready to spec your next build with Vanair®?
Contact the Vanair® OEM Engineering Team or call 1-800-526-8817 to speak with a representative.
Vanair® headquarters and manufacturing: Michigan City, Indiana. Business hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Central.
