How much bigger will caravans get?

Sam Vimes

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Sep 7, 2020
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When we started caravaning about 25 years ago we had a 510/4 van which seemed a pretty average size then. Twin axles seemed to be not that common.

Now we're back towing again after a break of 10 years and admittedly with a small Xplore 304, everything around us seems huge. Some have backends bigger than our van. Twin axles everywhere.

Is this trend likely to continue? Will we see articulated caravans, more 5th wheelers or articulated truck conversions. Double deckers even?

I feel over shadow by my neighbours on site but we are somewhat minimalists anyway 😁
 
May 24, 2014
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No point making them bigger as Westminster is going to leave us nothing to tow them with. I can see us pulling down the M5 with a team of four horses.
 
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Nov 11, 2009
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No point making them bigger as Westminster is going to leave us nothing to tow them with. I can see us pulling down the M5 with a team of four horses.
It’s not just Westminster it’s the result of a series of COP climate accords agreed by world governments. Even if Westminster decided we can continue to buy ICE or hybrid cars after 2035 they wouldn’t be available to buy unless we had a home grown manufacturer that built solely for the U.K. market. I think I’d rather your horse drawn option 😂
 
Nov 16, 2015
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I must admit, I ended up on a winter site at Warmington, Near Banbury, with a lovely bunch of Carnival folk, The 5th whellers really took my interest. A good double cab, plenty of power.
I need to look into the towing regs.
 
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Jun 20, 2005
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I think it will be back to aTrailer Tent like my old NR Nimrod . The toilet tent is somewhere deep in the loft😎😎. Roll on the EVs🤪🤪
 
May 24, 2014
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And just today, Swift have announced a new caravan range for greener vehicles.

4ecec204b6f0b.image.jpg
 
Jan 3, 2012
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Last break in wales i was next to this Eterniti Genesis IB4 that was a nice caravan he was seasonal
 

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Oct 21, 2020
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Whenever we have been to Love2Stay in Shrewsbury, there are always a couple of 5th Wheelers at the top of the site.
Never seem a tow vehicle parked up but I’d assume it needs to be substantial.

They must be very luxurious inside, cost I’d imagine will match the luxury level.

Kev
 
Jan 31, 2018
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5th wheelers look great-but beware the slide out mechanisms-a common source of leaks and the braking system of the new ones went electronic and there were quite a few issues needed sorting out-our friend with one felt he was a real time development tool!
 
May 7, 2012
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I do think that we will possibly need to look at more compact models as cars get lighter. Using lighter materials in a caravan might get some weight off but there is a limit as they need enough weight to remain upright in the wind.
Our old Trophy did have an aluminium chassis and that saved quite a bit of weight so that might need to be revisited but the twin axle ones did suffer from breakages at the front which could be a problem.
Electric cars do suffer from weight problems due to the heavy batteries and if the recharging problem can be solved and we get charging points that allow our length, we could yet see an answer but only time will tell.
Caravans though are not going to get any bigger unless there is a change in the law to allow cars to tow them.
 
Jun 20, 2005
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I still think it is possible to consider a combined EV Car and caravan. Say a massive battery bank built into the caravan chassis, lightweight composites for the body etc.. The caravan batteries work with the car batteries increasing distance.
You never know😜😜😜
 
Jul 21, 2021
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I still think it is possible to consider a combined EV Car and caravan. Say a massive battery bank built into the caravan chassis, lightweight composites for the body etc.. The caravan batteries work with the car batteries increasing distance.
You never know😜😜😜
The batteries are the car's heaviest component. E.g., the 85 kWh battery pack weighed 1,200 lb (540 kg).

now you have to increase the structure of the caravan, twin axial, you would need a much much bigger car to tow the caravan!
 
Jan 3, 2012
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Whenever we have been to Love2Stay in Shrewsbury, there are always a couple of 5th Wheelers at the top of the site.
Never seem a tow vehicle parked up but I’d assume it needs to be substantial.

They must be very luxurious inside, cost I’d imagine will match the luxury level.

Kev
Hi Kev that Eterniti van was at Daisy Bank he even let me have a look i love the room it had it had a air con & satellite dish :)
 
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Sam Vimes

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I've noticed also that some of the hard standing pitches are only just big enough to get some of the large vans on. Also some of the pitches are on a slope and the larger vans have had difficulty getting level because they can't get the front/back down low enough.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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I've noticed also that some of the hard standing pitches are only just big enough to get some of the large vans on. Also some of the pitches are on a slope and the larger vans have had difficulty getting level because they can't get the front/back down low enough.
The site we went in April there plenty room for twin axle caravan on hardstanding pitches no problems
 
Mar 14, 2005
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.... Using lighter materials in a caravan might get some weight off but there is a limit as they need enough weight to remain upright in the wind.

I doubt that is a serious concern.

Caravans though are not going to get any bigger unless there is a change in the law to allow cars to tow them.

BE licences are fine up to 7 tonnes combined MAM and some older ones can go even heavier. so I don't see that being a legal impediment.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I still think it is possible to consider a combined EV Car and caravan. Say a massive battery bank built into the caravan chassis, lightweight composites for the body etc.. The caravan batteries work with the car batteries increasing distance.
You never know😜😜😜
I have often thought of this, but there are some major hurdles to overcome. Not all EV's use the same battery voltage, so you would have to choose a battery for your specific car.

As others have said, the weight of the caravan would become rather big, and the towing ratio convention would need make some tow cars exceed the 3500kg limit pushing them in to cat C
commercials with issues of drivers hours, VAT and tachographs. (though there some ways round those issues for exhibition vehicles)

As a longer shot - which would need a change to the law, if the caravan had its own battery and drive motor and was controlled rather like overrun brakes, or by some extension of the drive by wire control signals to be shared through a common agreed protocol with the caravans drive system, this could reduce the power the car needs to develop and thus extend the range, but the compromise is heavier caravans with a much higher price tag, and two vehicles to charge.
 

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