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What’s Happening in The World of Campervans?

September had good news and bad news for campervan fans wanting to attend a caravan and motorhome show for the first time since Covid hit. There was also a welcome announcement regarding the production dates for an interesting little micro-camper whose design concept has already caused a bit of a stir.

Here’s what’s been happening in the world of campervans over the last month.

Xbus Electric Microvan Production Announced

The production dates for an exciting new electric microvan was announced at the beginning of September, with the lightweight Xbus now due to start production in 2022.

The Xbus microvan will eventually be available with two chassis options to complement its modular design. The standard City chassis will be joined as an option by the Off-road chassis, which will have greater ground clearance for traversing rougher ground. There will be two camping options differentiated by their berths. Plus other modules include a tipper, a cargo box and single or double-cab pick-up modules. Both camping modules come with a pop-top roof and there is the option of a fridge, TV, hob, fresh water tank, sink and a bed being included.

The Xbus manufacturers say that the electric microvan will get between 62 miles to 124 miles off of one charge, with some roof-integrated solar cells able to double the range.

NEC Motorhome and Caravan Show Cancelled

The upcoming Motorhome and Caravan Show due to take place in October at the NEC in Birmingham has been cancelled. It should be the UK’s largest such event but will no longer take place for the second year in a row.

The organisers, NCC Events, said that the rules for large, organised indoor events were still too unclear. They are now working towards their next big event, the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show due to take place at the same venue in February next year.

A spokesperson for NCC Events said: “We have taken the decision not to go ahead as planned with the Motorhome and Caravan Show this October and instead to focus on our next show. With only 14 weeks to go until the show, which is one of the largest public events in the country, rules on large, organised indoor events continue to be unclear.

“We have taken feedback from our exhibitors and, while the industry is seeing a huge demand for touring caravans, campervans and motorhomes from the UK staycation boom, there are many challenges in the supply chain, which make the timing of this year’s show, and the additional demand it would generate, untenable for some.”

The Love Touring Expo is Back!

There was some good news in September for fans of campervan exhibitions as it was announced that the Love Touring Expo will be going ahead in November. The event in Aberdeen, Scotland, will be the first major indoor event of its kind in Scotland since the pandemic first began. It will possibly be the first in the UK as well after the cancellation of the October show in Birmingham.

The Love Touring Expo will feature all sorts of caravans and campervans with plenty of new motorhome models on display as they get ready for launch in 2022. There will also be industry experts on hand to offer advice to visitors, as well as shops, demonstrations and fun activities for families.

 What’s Happening in The World of Campervans? 

August was an interesting month with a premium campervan manufacturer launching a fun new online configurator and another launching new rising roof versions of their popular models. Luxury motorhome owners have also been warned about rising campervan thefts.

Read on to see what’s been happening in the world of campervans over the last month.

New Online Configurator Launched by Niesmann+Bischoff

Premium motorhome manufacturer Niesmann+Bischoff launched a new online configurator at the beginning of August. It means potential buyers can design their dream vehicle on their PCs or smartphones.

The motorhome configurator lets customers choose their favourite aesthetics and interior features and add them to their preferred base model. Once the custom design is complete, the configurator will calculate a cost summary of the selected configuration, which the designer can then download as a PDF file.

The online configurator also allows users to “move around” inside each of the motorhome models with a 360-degree view.

Luxury Motorhomes Targeted by Thieves

A warning to luxury motorhome and campervan owners has been sounded by GPS and vehicle tracker retailer, Trackershop. They say their latest figures show that such higher end vehicles are being targeted by criminals due to the surge in luxury motorhome sales and their new owners’ relative inexperience.

Trackershop say that inexperienced owners aren’t taking the necessary precautions to protect their motorhomes from theft. Of course, Trackershop has a vested interest in publicising such news as they sell the devices which help recover stolen vehicles, but it is certainly true that luxury motorhome theft has been on the rise. 

Trackershop say vehicles fitted with a tracking device have a 95% recovery rate compared to vehicles not fitted with one. Their managing director Shaun Carse added: “Recent research discovered that just 13% of motorhomes and 6% of campervans have trackers installed, whilst 54% and 45% of these vehicles respectively don’t have alarms.”

Sunlight Pop-Tops and Mobile Offices

German motorhome manufacturer Sunlight used August to launch a new range of rising roof campervans. They will be part of the Cliff range of campers, providing the option to choose a pop-top version of a Cliff campervan for the first time.

The Fiat Ducato-based Cliff range that now comes with optional pop-tops include the 549, 600, 601 and 640 models. The rising roof option will add an extra two berths to the living space, measuring 206cm by 143cm. Every model with the rising roof will also come equipped with premium slatted bed frames and cold foam mattresses as standard.

The 120bhp engine remains the standard for the new models, but there will be a choice of exterior colours. The interior features will incorporate Sunlight’s new ‘Adventure Living’ design elements, including a reworked dashboard with an integrated passenger glove box and extra storage space and cup holders.

The new pop-top Cliff models arrived shortly after Sunlight also revealed their ‘office on wheels’ design concept. The plan is to turn a motorhome into a mobile home office using a multifunctional, foldable table that comes with an extra monitor and electrical charging options. The concept was devised after the Future of Work Reports 2021 survey revealed that two-thirds of those surveyed who work from home as well as in an office would like a hybrid work model.

July brought both good and bad news for campervan fans as an exciting new electric campervan with an especially impressive turning circle was announced, along with Volkswagen revealing that they have been doing quite well for themselves. The good news was tempered by the cancellation of a popular motorhome event that many campers and manufacturers were looking forward to, thanks to confusion over Covid-19 restrictions.

Read on to see what’s been happening in the world of campervans over the last month.

New LEVC e-Camper Announced

The electric taxi specialists, the London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), have announced the preliminary details of the new e-Camper they are developing. It will use LEVC’s range extender technology to achieve an electric-only range of 60 miles, with a total range of over 300 miles.

The e-Camper will have an exceptionally good turning circle thanks to LEVC’s experience building electric taxis. It will also have a side-layout kitchen that is completely electric powered, as well as four berths shared between the pop-top roof and sliding rear bench. The cab seats will also be able to swivel around.

The Chief Executive Officer of LEVC, Joerg Hofmann, talked about the need for ‘greener mobility solutions’, saying: “The campervan market is growing rapidly and, despite these vehicles being used for coastal and countryside adventures which often include national parks and protected areas, they are still powered by petrol or diesel engines. 

“This is a major conflict. We can see a shift in consumer attitudes, with demand for greener mobility solutions to help to protect and improve air quality. Our new electric, zero emissions-capable e-Camper offers the perfect solution and is well-equipped with high quality features that can be tailored to meet a range of customer requirements.”

The list price is shaping-up to be pretty steep at £62,250, with the first deliveries of the e-Camper currently on course to be ready by the fourth quarter of this year.

Volkswagen Reveal Massive Sales Increase

German manufacturer Volkswagen recently revealed they had enjoyed a 621% year-on-year increase in the amount of their California campervans being financed. The increase is likely due to the rise in holidaymakers choosing to stay within the UK for their vacations, say Volkswagen.

Research conducted by Volkswagen showed that half of those surveyed said they would be taking a driving ‘staycation’ at home this year rather than use public transport.

NEC Motorhome and Caravan Show Cancelled Again

For the second year in a row, the Motorhome and Caravan Show at the NEC has been cancelled. It is the UK’s biggest such event and was due to take place in October, but has again been shelved due to confusion over Covid-19 restrictions.

The organiser of the show, NCC Events, released a statement saying: “We have taken the decision not to go ahead as planned with the Motorhome and Caravan Show this October and instead to focus on our next show. With only 14 weeks to go until the show, which is one of the largest public events in the country, rules on large, organised indoor events continue to be unclear.”

The next show NCC Events are focusing on is the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show currently due to take place at the NEC in February next year.

June witnessed an interesting new converted campervan design made from a popular commercial van model, as well as good news for motorhome fans in the north of England. The Government also announced exciting news for anyone planning on holidaying at home this summer. Read on to see what’s been happening in the world of campervans this past month.
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