Are campsites making money from selling electricity?

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Have you used a pay as you go meter on a campsite? Would you rather it was just included in the pitch fee?

[@brianinbrisbane6632]

We used the Caravan and Motorhome site recently where metering had been introduced. No great problem but now the metering company has updated itself taking our £5 remaining balance. CAMC say they're waiting on an update from the metering company. Problem is now we cannot use similar sites while our balance is missing.

[@MotorhomeMatt]

That’s not on surely?

[@JennyRoaming]

If there is charging for electricity then there should be a clear indication of how much is being charged per unit (kilowatt used). Have not a problem for paying for amount used but we do need to have clarity of pricing. A mark up is understandable and fair but their needs to be clarity of how much they are charging. When I am choosing a campsite I might check how much they charge per unit.

[@MotorhomeMatt]

I agree. This is the outcome I hoped for from this episode. We need clarity, transparency and honesty. I’m like you… happy to pay my way but I like to know what I’m paying for

[@lifebeyondbricks]

Great episode Matt and the team. I would love these digital systems to be implemented on all campsite hookups, it is the only way that it can be fair for campsites and consumers, it also stops people wasting energy. Unfortunately just because many vehicles are going gas free this does not mean they are fossil free…heating an average size Motorhome in the autumn/winter(average ambient temp 10 degrees) on electric uses roughly 19 KWH per day, there are not many vehicles that could do this off grid. For instance you would need x18 12volt 100ah lithium batteries to achieve this through an inverter. Diesel is still the most efficient way to heat a Motorhome in the winter until heat pumps for Motorhomes and campers become available.

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Great insight thank you guys

[@wmark1956]

We have travelled down through France and now in Spain.Campsites mostly €15 plus €5 or electric.Campsites a lot cheaper than the UK so campers here don't mind paying extra for electric.

[@thetouringcarrs9343]

What happens if you don’t do online banking ?

[@TroggyPB]

Winter 2017. 3 weeks at a site near Aguilas southern Spain with individual meters at each pitch. Fixed price tariff and owner advised if we had absorption fridge to put it on Gas as it would quickly chew through the 4kWh included in the daily fee. Excess consumption we paid x cents per kWh. I trialled it for first full day and he was correct. Luckily the fridge was only in the sun in the early morning and it was never over 20º in daytime so keeping it cool wasn't a problem.

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Thanks for sharing. Interesting debate there re gas!

[@leschase1824]

I enquired Ripe plus a number of other insurance companies for a commercial insurance, for a one man band wishing to attend craft fairs for commercial photography. Ripe and a large number of others were unable to give me any quote. One of the only quotes was the NFU, National Farmers Union, for a fully comp. insurance. The motorhome is brand new and parked on my driveway. I was quoted £2400 for the insurance with no, no claim discount, as I do not have one for a motorhome as yet. Also a limit of 10000 miles per year. I am happy to be fully covered, rather than for leisure use only for around £800 per year. Also the NFU is a local face to face office, rather than an over the phone insurance company. I have already managed 4000 miles on the clock since the end of October, and looking forward to better weather in the spring and summer for trips. Great youtube channel, thanks and subscribed. Finally, I have a gas hob, but I was able to purchase an induction plug in the mains plate from Maplin electrical when they were in store business. It may be worth a look at if one can still but plug in induction units anywhere.

[@gereshomeE]

Some VERY good questions & answers. Thank you! 🙂

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Thank you! It’s a huge topic and I feel I’ve scratched the surface but a good start!

[@IntrepidIresons]

Theyre not making money off the electric, theyre not allowed to, but we have found some sites havent reduced their pitch prices enough when they move to metered. Also the CAMC implementation of metering is really bad! We just did a video on it ourselves.

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Hmmm that’s interesting! Share the link here so we can all view thanks

[@colinmccourt1571]

All Stelaplatzes in Germany were pay on your usage and the cost per kw varied quite markedly. It is better this way as everyone pays for what they use.

[@johnstanyer4107]

As a campsite owner I can say electric one our site has become a bit of a nightmare. our bills for a 90 pitch site with another 16 statics is about £3500 a month. we have spent £12,000 on our 5 year safety testing this year and another £500 on the yearly testing. managing electric car charging is also very difficult no campsite systems has 16amp at every pitch so as customers have increased demand over the last 10 years site systems are no longer big enough. We have spent over £100,000 this year upgrading electric infrastructure this year. this is a big cost and will take many years to recover. we have 4 electric car charging points with 4 more coming. but we will never be able to charge 100 cars and vans on site we decided to stick with a fully inclusive price for electric for now as the cost of pay as you go is about £25,000 to install and we then have to have more staff available to deal with the problems that will come with new systems when they stop working as these things always do ask any electric car owner how often do chargers not work.

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Very insightful thank you. This change is not smooth! I feel your pain! How do you propose to survive this storm?

[@brianinbrisbane6632]

Paying isn't transparent because all we see is the total kWh charge, not the breakdown showing the electricty cost plus any addons.

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Very good point. Should this be transparent do you think?

[@Stoff1]

At 60p per unit I was charged recently, I'm going to say yes!

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Excellent! Good start

[@peromalmstrom7668]

I understand the points on energy consumption, metering and fair payments. To me, the biggest issue with energy, is the construction of motorhomes and camper-vans where the energy systems, from factory are shockingly poor that are placed in so called modern campers. It is why, though buying a brand-new CamperVan and picking it up end of February 2025, I’m having to pay over £7000 to upgrade the batteries to lithium, the regulator systems to deliver the electricity, solar that matches the system (Unlike the token single solar panel currently placed on campers from factories) and with further redundancy for my CamperVan, with a German made Diesel Heater, to meet UK weather realities, when using in all 4 UK & European seasons. So with this system, if plugged-in at a campsite, the only consumption, is recharging of the battery’s. Manufacturers of Campers will claim to put such systems in from factory will increase prices. It is why, when buying a new CamperVan, I chose to buy a mid range price CamperVan and then pay, an additional £20,000 of add-ons to get the CamperVan that properly works on or off grid and has redundancy power, heating and cooking, security from 360 cameras, to tracker/immobiliser, alarm, air suspension and self levelling. This means we have ended-up with our perfect CamperVan for £90,000. Try buying a CamperVan from factory new with all these add-ons mentioned at this price point, because I looked, does not exist in this industry. So buy a cheaper CamperVan/Motorhome with a layout that works, then add want you want to make the CamperVan liveable and workable for any situation. The CamperVan I purchased was a Swift Carrera 132, Auto, 2025 model, at £70,000. But, what I’ve done could be done on most budgets, new or used Campers, as reality says, it’s the only way to get a decent Camper in 2025.

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Wow quite a story! I get it! But even the base model at £70k is out of reach for many!

[@leannearnold8326]

Sadly RIPE doesn't insure motorhomes over £100k

[@Above-The-Clouds]

I always wonder why electricity at camp sites isn’t metered but I won’t be scanning any QR codes and sharing my details!

[@Martin37vg]

Me to no app. I can manage without electricty anyway . I am not over paying but have used the put your euro in a slot like old parloing meter. And Harry in the olden days you did not go and charge a key up at the post office. You just waited for the bill of what you had used.and paid it. .

[@BusyElf]

There are lots of ways that people pay for stuff. either by subscription or on demand payment. I believe that Motorhomers especially are more in tune with their energy expenditure due to their ability to go off-grid anyways. Some sunshine and good solar panels make energy free to them. Their ability to generate and replenish their off grid batteries while traveling., makes them even more eco friendly. than say a caravanner who relies on mains energy to power their microwaves and TV. when on site, for example. Although I find this discussion interesting, I find that is just another company trying to make a few bucks out of the already expensive Energy crisis we are in at the present time. I'm sure they are not as altruistic as they appear in this interview. however it does offer an alternative to the 'buying tokens at the reception' practise of some sites I have stayed on. As a Caravanner, I'd much rather pay an up front modest fee for electricity and use it as needed, without worry of it running out in the middle of the night.

[@BillyBob-rm3ve]

If we keep going down this Net-Zero expensive energy route then there will be no motorhomes or campsites! Problem solved as far as Ed Militwat is concerned! 🙄

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Ha ha indeed. We avoid politics here but I hear you.

[@BillyBob-rm3ve]

I wish we could go back to when energy was plentiful and cheap and all this 'behaviour modification' bull**** would have been told to "do one"!

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Yup but we are here now. Energy has to be paid for. We need to accept that and make a plan: what’s yours?

[@BillyBob-rm3ve]

@@MotorhomeMatt I think one more year of motorhoming before I offload the van. Get out before the government prices us out of touring/driving and I might actually recoup some of the money I spent on the motorhome before the whole market crashes! Depressing I know, but that’s where I think things are headed.

[@nixonmark42]

Matt how much does his company make, there not doing it for nothing

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Good question. One for next time.

[@paulwaller8218]

Ripe hassle free? Would not insure me and no reason why

[@MotorhomeMatt]

I'm more than happy to pass on your message to Ripe and they can let us know the full reason why you were not able to insure with them - I can honestly say they've been upfront every time I've got in contact about a customer query and I'm sure they'd be happy to look into this.

[@MotorhomeMatt]

Did you call them and ask?