Electric campervans and motorhomes were a topical subject of discussion on BBC Radio 4’s You & Yours programme today on the back of the ban of sales of diesel and hybrid vehicles in the UK from 2035.
At the moment, the weight of a motorhome does not make any electric base vehicle currently available a viable option with a decent range, which is a big issue for manufacturers thinking ahead to the ban of diesel engines; then there’s also the issue of needing a recharging infrastructure in the more remote places people often go when touring in a campervan or motorhome (or caravan). Will campsites have to invest in providing overnight charging for electric vehicles?
The motorhome manufacturers and campervan converters are reliant on the commercial vehicle manufacturers to produce electric base vehicles that will be suitable for their purposes, with an adequate range for touring holidays. This is an issue the automotive industry will be well aware of across its customer base, but the motorhome manufacturers also have a responsibility to look at weight-saving measures and new production technology to reduce the load the batteries have to propel.
Although everyone’s dream of a campervan roadtrip might currently look like being shattered in 2035, I feel confident that the technology and charging infrastructure will be developed far beyond our current reality and imagination will let us believe. At least, I hope so.
There’s obviously a lot of change coming in the vehicles we drive for pleasure and work. There has to be, but it’s still such early days for all this technology. Volkswagen and Tesla have already shown us electric vans and trucks. Somewhere in amongst all this will be an electric motorhome, I’m sure. The investment costs will be high, which may see more mergers and acquisitions, and a long term vision is required.
People aren’t going to stop wanting the freedom of a campervan and motorhome holiday. I look forward to seeing what the electric revolution will bring.
The episode of Radio 4’s You & Yours is available here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000fw14
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