Electric Vehicles - EVs: Towing, camper vans, and the future of caravans and motorhomes

[@stephenwills1986]

Fantastic! This is just what everyone needs to watch right now. And great to have all the facts from one of the most trusted journalists in the industry. Must've taken a while to put that together. Thanks Andrew. 😊👍🔋🔌🚗

[@andrewjditton]

Thanks Stephen! Yes, it took a while.. :-/

[@jacketrussell]

Andrew: By affordable, I mean under £40000. Me: By affordable I mean under £10000.

[@mowtownni4587]

I was going for £5000. Most I ever spent on a car/ jeep in 25 years of driving was £5300.

[@jacketrussell]

@@mowtownni4587 My price was for the car and caravan together.

[@dieselbushcraft1299]

EVs have got a long way to go haven’t they, currently even used values are costly. That said you can buy a used Leaf for less than 8k but alas this would only give you a solo range of around 80miles and probably not a tow car either 🙁.

[@andrewjditton]

You and me both! But this was about new cars, and have you seen the prices recently???!!!!!!!

[@gasgas2689]

@@dieselbushcraft1299 "solo range of around 80 miles". Yes, downhill on a straight motorway with the wind behind you in daytime in the Summer when you have no heating on. Remember that every single thing is electric - steering, windows, heating, lights, even the coolant pump that circulates the cooling water around the battery to the radiator at the front.

[@lynnebarkas6906]

I’ve been caravaning for approx 35 years. I have visited the Tesla’s showroom out of curiosity. The X type was the vehicle recommended for my caravan and type of holidays we have. The upgraded battery pack was advised also. Price of vehicle now £120,000. The staff were very helpful and looked at practicalities of driving to the south of France. The showroom was well equipped to give you all the information you require. With luck it would take 8 recharge stops between the Midlands and Toulon area. Assuming the charge points were available and working not for the faint hearted towing a caravan. Although Tesla and staff were most helpful I’m sure the industry is not quite ready for me to make the switch.

[@andrewjditton]

Hi Lynne, that's all very interesting stuff - thanks for sharing. Nice to hear the Tesla staff were so helpful - sometimes with these premium brands the staff can be snooty. I think you're correct though - EVs cannot QUITE support caravanning like that - yet. To switch sooner not later requires behavioural change - local touring and slow travel. But it IS an option for those who wish to do so. Cheers!

[@ArielHT5John]

I have not seen a charging point on the motorway where you park a caravan. You would have to unhitch the caravan to charge then drive back up the one way system to get the Van !!

[@volvocars5189]

Well, here is one at least. www.plugshare.com/location/191757

[@jasonchong865]

Good point. You would have to add 20+ minutes to disconnect and reconnect the caravan in a very busy motorway service area. Sounds like fun. 🤣🤣 I will keep my hybrid until there is a solution to this problem.

[@sheldontaylor82]

And thanks for switching off the ads, they do my head in and ruin viewing videos such as yours!

[@birdingbilly]

Lets be honest Andrew an EV that can tow 1,000kg with a range of maybe 125 miles at best is no use to man nor beast. Decent EV tow cars will come but they are some years off yet. The industry has 9 years to do better.

[@andrewjditton]

Hmm... I don't fully agree. I for one would love to reduce my carbon footprint when the time comes to replace my truck. And 'slow travel' is a thing! But as I said in the video, it's not just EV's driving the industry to do better - what about all the prospective caravanners who are currently looking for a true entry-level caravan at a good price? Thanks for watching!

[@PeterEVcharade]

I tow an 850kg camper trailer with my Kona EV and get at least 250km, which is fine for where we go in Australia. Go that far in the UK and you would be off the other side, I think.

[@bryana1942]

I’m from the US. You guys on that side of the pond are already ahead of us when it comes to lightweight caravans. Over here, the manufacturers are mostly very traditional, using wood frames, wood cabinets like you’d find in your house, etc. I love a lot of the European designs. As for the whole EV thing, I like the idea of the Dethleffs, with the caravan assisting with its own drivetrain, though I’m worried about the complexity/cost of such a setup. But I believe that a combination of maybe solar panels on the roof of the caravan charging additional batteries and some kind of active motive power from the caravan might work. Though this is just my own uninformed opinion.

[@Jasonion74]

As someone who works on power stations for a living I feel the whole system is flawed, we don’t have the electrical supply in this country and how do we dispose of the batteries?

[@ronclark9724]

The enviro nitwits never think logically... They are a cult religion...

[@martynlazenby1759]

I see last week GB uk had to call on the last 3 coal fired power station to plug the gap ,the sun didn’t shine and the wind didn’t blow ! just a thought .Good video Andrew

[@Rufusthehound]

Let’s spare a thought for the poor in third world the majority of the worlds population. Most families have to hot wire the grid in their hometowns just to run a light bulb or a TV. What will they do with this tech. They can just about etch out an existence with cheap fossil fuels. What the hell are they going to do with a swanky Tesla motor. You have to hope for their sake the EV gimmick will go out of fashion before it starts killing people.

[@absrecovery]

Batteries aren't disposed of there used for storing surplus energy so there will be plenty of electricity as someone works in power you should no this

[@lesrayner4644]

Thank you I was beginning to panic, but hey I’m 66 this year so now I’m just going to enjoy what I’ve got

[@krippleinacaravanxxx707]

Hi Andrew. I was thinking of comment I would make about this issue. Two years ago I owned a Mitsubishi PHEV. It was a pure and utter nightmare! Hailed as a breakthrough in car innovation it brought nothing but anxiety as you have mentioned in this vlog! Mine was half petrol half electric but even so the petrol tank did not hold enough to get me any distance when the electric charge was used. In fact I only ever got “thirty miles”or less on an electric charge! It was deplorable! Coupled with the fact that short of the M4 there were hardly any charging points and still aren’t!!!! We will need bigger and more nuclear stations built to cope with all of these supposed cars. It’s simply not the way to go! I pray we “come back again” in the long distant future to see earthlings running around with a three pin plug in their hands looking for a hole to stick it in. It certainly won’t be mine! Good luck with this one I say to all those forward thinking car giants and thank you for hilighting this issue! Your friend in the ether. Peter ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@andrewjditton]

Thanks Peter. I've towed with a PHEV. It's one of the reasons I left out hybrids, because 'If you can't say anything nice...' ;)

[@o2bnov0307]

Thank you, Andrew, for this excellent discussion on EVs.

[@davehornby1722]

Noooooo sorry. Limited mileage, limited charging points and more importantly extreme cost. The normal hardworking family man will no way be able to afford these astronomical costs. Great video Andrew but I honestly cannot see EV’s taking off.

[@andrewjditton]

New tech always comes down in price, Dave! And if you look around any campsite now, you'll see most of the vehicles were over £40k when NEW... it's just that quite a few of us don't buy new! Same will apply, I'm sure.

[@andrewjditton]

@Tie Pup I'll make tea! I can do biscuits....

[@davehornby1722]

@@andrewjditton Hope so Andrew. Stay safe and thank you for your excellent video’s

[@gasgas2689]

Oh I forgot another thing. So far as I can tell, to recharge your car you also need a smart phone, that has charge in it, a signal at the charging point, download an app, register with the electricity suppler, credit on the phone and knowledge of how to use it. Not everyone has all of these things. Then of course, the charging machine has to be operational - in two years I found three that were not, which ended up with me crawling home down the motorway at 30mpg with - - - showing as the range available

[@dawnyWestScotland]

Beautiful snippets of scenery!!!!🐶🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🧡

[@mavicsteve9275]

Hi Andrew, no mention of lack of power stations and the possibility of been charged per mile due to no tax income from fuel duty. If the numbers of touring folk drops won’t the number of site owners drop too. We have just swopped our caravan after taking stock during Lockdown I feel after listening to you tonight I feel this might be our last, we usually swop every four years.I could not go back to a caravan that my parents had when I was eight. Looking forward to your next program and do stay safe.

[@andrewjditton]

Yes, I could have gone deeper into 'where are we going to get the energy from?' but the Gridserve model (check out their website) for their Electric Forecourt goes a long way into how that might look. Cheers!

[@peterrose9886]

Magic Steve. Have a look at this video. I hope it goes some way to explaining why we do have enough power. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5KoZmqqeM2Dh68

[@protonneutron9046]

Not in the USA Even with heavy gov subsidy EVs are LESS than 1% of new vehicles sold. Not ready for prime time according to sales data.

[@waynehobbs5175]

Heavilly subsidised petrol doesn't help either. If USA sold petrol at parity pricing of $1 per litre and with your super cheap electricity of 10cKwh people may rethink EVs in USA

[@protonneutron9046]

@@waynehobbs5175 1: There is ZERO $ in subsidies for gas here. There IS heavy taxes at the pump though. (Who told you that BS?) If the gov tried to cripple people with artificially raising it to $4 gal gas they would be literally SHOT. Along with any other id10ts who supported such insanity. And, EVs would STILL not sell.

[@twogoonsonanadventure]

As somebody just stepping into the caravan world I like to think I’m already ahead of the game, having bought a Swift Basecamp 2, however this isn’t due to licence issues (I have B+E and C) I bought it because I’m towing with a 1.2l Nissan Juke with a max towing capacity of 1200kg. The Basecamp gives me everything I need and nothing I don’t, I just can’t help feeling that fixed beds, for example are just a huge waste of space! We don’t need to tow second homes around, we just need enough to be comfortable and to allow us to explore other parts of the world relatively cheaply.

[@andrewjditton]

Personally Tristan, I couldn't agree more. But if you have a read through of the comments, not everybody agrees. I think your Basecamp 2 was a very smart purchase - ENJOY!

[@welshcat5781]

I have the same tow car, Nissan Juke 1.2, paired with a lightweight Xplore 304. Completely agree that some of the extras people seem to find essential really aren’t. But I suppose people have got used to having the equivalent of a bungalow attached to their car now and it’ll take some convincing to settle for something simpler.

[@attilafeher2542]

Enjoyed every minute of this video, Andrew, it's great that you've taken the time and effort to show us the pros & cons of EV touring today 😁

[@andrewjditton]

My pleasure!

[@TheWanderlees]

We upgraded our camper from the starcraft box style trailer we had to an Airstream in November. The aerodynamics of the Airstream make it a breeze to tow with our Tesla. We bought it in Ottawa and towed it home (2400 kms) in 2-1/2 days. We did a 900 km leg on the second day. We averaged 320Wh/km. We’ve been travelling around our home province, Manitoba , with it this summer and it’s been just awesome. We are hoping the land border opens for Canadians to cross into USA with our campers this winter 🤞🏻. We have a deposit on a Tesla truck and might upgrade to a 28ft airstream once we have the truck to tow it.

[@andrewjditton]

That is REALLY interesting, thanks for sharing! I did some EV tow testing this summer on behalf of a large organisation, and while we await the official results, it does appear from first impressions that aerodynamics are just as important if not more important than the weight of the trailer. Maybe if I hang on long enough I'll get an affordable EV that can tow my Airstream too ;)

[@allieregan643]

Hi Andrew, some serious food for thought there, we hope to see you again soon x

[@tacodias]

Great video as always! The description is such a great resource! Thank you

[@carlos76437]

Great subject, Andrew! As a motorhomer and someone who works at the motorhome industry this is a sensible subject. The comment I'll be making is only regarding the motorhome and camper industry. EVs are changing the way car ownership is viewed by consumers. Renting as become a major choice regarding EVs. While a regular combustion engines vehicle, properly maintained, can last for a few decades, the main component of an EV, the batteries, have a life cycle. When that life cycle ends, it's time to replace the batteries. And that is a huge expense that most of the times represents the value of the vehicle. Will the same happen with recreation vehicles? Will people stop buying motorhomes and start renting? What happens when that renting is over? What is the cost of replacing a battery in a 5 to 10 year old motorhome? What will be the used value of a €100k motorhome when the battery is dead? The current life cycle of a motorhome is currently around 25 year. Will it be reduced? Personally I don't think EVs are the future. But this is my personally believe. We'll see what the future brings.

[@andrewjditton]

Yep, none of us know what's around the corner, which is why I think the clubs are being sensible in not rushing into anything. One would hope that batteries would be replaceable in a 100k motorhome! Either way, it's going to be no mean feat for the Government to ensure the charging infrastructure is in place before its 2030 deadline. Thanks for watching!

[@tonks1968]

Top notch production and really useful information. Brilliant!

[@andrewjditton]

Thanks Tony, much appreciated!

[@HereWeTow]

A great insight in to the future ahead of us and asking the questions many of us are thinking too. Just what will the future of touring hold. Having just ordered a new diesel motorhome I have no worries about the use I will get from it. EV will have to come on some along with the product but developments are being made at a rapid pace. There was a lot of work went in to this vlog. We loved the Dusseldorf photo of us all, happy times and hopefully next year will see us back there.

[@andrewjditton]

Fingers crossed :)

[@pedrof.p.655]

Hellooo Andrew somos un grupo de seguidores tuyo de Barcelona, Spain y gracias por poner orden dentro de este gran problema que vamos a tener los que tenemos este ocio ya que hoy por hoy no hay nada claro. Gracias.

[@thebigtow]

This really is a great video, so well presented and cleanly edited.. great work

[@graemeroberts5730]

Excellent video. Great balanced reporting. 👍👍👍

[@andrewjditton]

Many thanks!

[@vdub8567]

Excellent Andrew... one of the best reviews I've seen in a long time on KZbin👍

[@andrewjditton]

Thanks 👍

[@chrislee1701]

Great to see a balanced view on this subject for once. Proper journalism in 2020! 👍

[@andrewjditton]

Cheers Chris!

[@audreyfforbes-hamilton]

A well researched, clear and informative video, thank you Andrew!

[@andrewjditton]

My pleasure!

[@andylawn9521]

Great stuff. We need more discussion of this issue so industry's move to deliver.

[@andrewjditton]

Cheers Andy. I hope this is at least a start.

[@niallstark7726]

Really professionally produced and informative content - nice job 👍👍👍

[@andrewjditton]

Thank you so much 😊

[@MYJ61]

Andrew, love the video! In the US adoption of technology for other than convenience is woefully behind the EU. One couple said they thought the US was 20 years behind in useful technologies such a weight savings and construction. So many of our caravans are still wood and fiberglass batting instead of aluminum and foam. The attitude of the US caravaner also needs to change. This mentality of needing 55 gallons of fresh, grey and black tanks respectively will severely cripple the advancements necessary for the future of the RV lifestyle. As you pointed out, more stops for charging the EV, more dumps for the waste tanks must be the new mindset.

[@andrewjditton]

It's the same both sides of the pond Mark. I am seriously considering changing my touring behaviour from now...

[@kevandrews6418]

Nice one Andrew good info there as what the future holds for us caraveners .love the video .kev

[@andreafasoli8460]

At minute 20.10 he is smailing! Thx for this video. Interesting and many useful points for reviewing.

[@andrewjditton]

Glad it was helpful!

[@edenfieldwarrior]

After more than fifty years of ownership of both caravans and motorhomes we are just thinking about giving up.......but it could be to our advantage to purchase one of these new lightweight caravans. Our first caravan was a Lunar Meteorite around 1973 and it was fitted with very very little but at the time was a 10'6" wonder. Before that we had a Bedford Dormobile, again fitted with very very little. But we managed and toured all over Europe.

[@andrewjditton]

Good stuff David. I sincerely hope that a hunger will return for these simple 'wonders'. I'm seeing out my truck and Airstream, but I know that when the time comes to change I'll want something much more simple and basic as I am no longer full-time touring. Let's hope we see some nice new light weight models soon. All the best.

[@dieselbushcraft1299]

Really interesting and a subject I have thought about a lot. There are several points though that I think are sticking points. Firstly as with a lot of videos about EVs the phrase “offset” the extra cost against running costs, as most people purchase a vehicle on finance the unfortunate thing is a finance company are not likely to take into account the running costs of EVs. Also as you quite rightly say petrol and diesel vehicles that are already on the road will still be around after 2030 the problem will be fuel and availability as filling stations will be phased out as demand declines. The charge infrastructure needs massive investment as well as the EV technology also needs to develop rapidly and that’s not mentioning the National Grid infrastructure too. This is going to be an interesting future for leisure vehicles and I sincerely hope it becomes less costly to purchase a EV.

[@andrewjditton]

It'll be interesting to see where it all goes. Thanks for watching!

[@LifeistooshortCK]

Great video as always Andrew but I just feel like we are all being conned into this change. Huge costs and once we all switch they will be onto the next big idea. I feel for those who have already switched to hybrid cars. They have been told those cars will also be banned. Maybe Elon Musk can produce something that will sway me.

[@andrewjditton]

I understand your concern, but at the end of the day, fossil fuels are not going to last forever, especially at the current rate of consumption. So we do need to find alternatives. As Tie Pup says, and as I assured in the video, the infrastructure to support ICE vehicles is probably going to continue and outlive all of us!

[@andrewjditton]

@Tie Pup If you won't be my PA, how about Dougal's PA? ;@)

[@robertellison4049]

This has been a very informative video that I will recommend to all I know it’s put my mind at rest having just got a very camper in August , Thanks Andrew for putting my mind at rest

[@andrewjditton]

Glad it was helpful! I think it's a rather ambitious aim to have the charging infrastructure in place for 2030. While I do hope it happens, I really don't think petrol and diesel will be disappearing any time soon. Enjoy your camper!

[@johnspencer5295]

Informative, entertaining and thought-provoking with a backdrop of the Hebrides: I'm not the owner of a campervan/caravan but love the vlogs and as ever this is really well-made.

[@andrewjditton]

Glad you enjoyed it John, cheers!

[@gordonjohnston684]

Can’t they put small drive motors on the caravan wheels which a large flat battery. Covering the over the caravans axels. This would be cupped to the cars drive system (drive by wire). So the caravan would be as light as a feather to tow. The the battery’s on board the caravan could be use to power the onboard appliances, when parked up.

[@paulhand2942]

Excellent summary of where we are now Andrew , will be very interesting to see how this journey pans out over the next few years .

[@andrewjditton]

Absolutely! Cheers Paul.

[@Mads_1313]

Very interesting Andrew, thank you. Clearly very well researched and put together. 👍🏻

[@andrewjditton]

Cheers Mads!

[@NikiY]

It's going to be a massive problem with dogs though if you've got to wait 38 minutes to almost charge your car up. Fine if you want to sit in and have a cup of coffee, but can't leave the dog in the car and can't take them inside. I wouldn't leave mine outside so that means sitting and waiting in the car (very hot in summer) or walking him around the services which is too dangerous in my opinion (I always park well away if he needs to go pee). I'm not against EVs I just think they're not at the level of being a suitable alternative yet.

[@andrewjditton]

Good point Niki - but I always use the caravan at services. I think Dougal would prefer me to get an EV as that would mean more walks ;@) But then, if I have to park the caravan in one place then detach it and move the car to another place to charge... yeah, the infrastructure has some way to go, and I think we're in a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation there. Thanks for watching!

[@NikiY]

@@andrewjditton no worries, I love your videos and you're giving me I spiration for my own camping KZbin channel (not this one!)😀 There's definitely room for innovation, like day kennels on camp sites for dog owners that would like to visit somewhere that doesn't allow dogs for the day (like a castle!). I'm excited to see the change but I don't think we're there yet (and I just bought a brand new car last year!🤣). Looking forward to the next video!👍🏻

[@ShannaTrenholm]

Lovely--well researched, twin!

[@pubgoer1963]

Thank you Andrew for once again answering the questions that had been rattling around in my head. Wonderful video, particularly the message at the end.

[@andrewjditton]

My pleasure!

[@DarrensVlog]

Hi Andrew, please do a video on the lightweight Eriba caravans and maybe the older retro Puck model

[@paulmcguire6397]

Great video Andrew I bought a new swift with a MTPLM of 1625kg and use a 2014 kia sorento to tow it.We go about 200 mils when we go and holiday so I would find that a problem especially because of the weight of the caravan. Hopefully in the next 10 years there will be huge advances in batteries as that is the biggest issue with lack of range and infrastructure, you also need to be able to provide enough power and charging points for millions of drivers

[@SB-hr5yr]

The way charging bays are set up at the moment the caravan will have to unhitched in a lot of places to be able to get the car in a bay without obstructing.

[@andrewturpin1994]

thank you, very interesting, having worked in the caravan industry myself for 40 years it is interesting to see where it is heading in the future

[@andrewjditton]

Yes! I think one thing is clear though Andrew - behaviours on both sides of the curtain will need to change.

[@kevinu.k.7042]

Great video - I paid for just a little more than a coffee. The balance is a treat for Dougal. We all know he's the script writer, researcher and producer. Stay well :)

[@andrewjditton]

You, Sir, are a star! Thanks Kevin. I had minor surgery last week so am only just now catching up on admin. Thank you so much!

[@devriesrobbe1]

Thank you Andrew, that is a very informed video. Some further comments (apologies - it's a bit long): - Although today's electric vans have limited range, that is mainly because of their main use as delivery vehicles. For example, the Mercedes eVito has a range of only 92 miles (under WLTP). However, its near identical car equivalent, the EQV, has a range of 213 miles because of a larger battery. So the technology for suitable vans already exists. - New cars coming on the market in 2021 with 1,500kg towing limit include the Nissan Ariya and the Tesla Model Y. Both are much more affordable than the Tesla Model X and with that limit, you can tow many caravans. Future cars/trucks will have much higher limits, e.g. Tesla Cybertruck: 6,350kg. - For larger vans and caravans, the main limitation is aero resistance. This is determined by 1) the drag coefficient (so lower for your airstream); 2) the frontal area (bigger is worse); 3) speed (which is squared, so lower speed really helps). Weight is not that important, unless you are going uphill - then it really matters. - EV's are getting better and cheaper fast: My first electric car 6 years ago had a battery capacity of 28 kWh and approx. 120 mile range. The Tesla Model Y has 75 kWh and over 300 miles. Some cars currently in development will have 200 kWh. At that point, you can tow pretty much any caravan for at least 200 miles. - Main issue with EV's is weight and cost: long range EV's weigh as much as a Land Rover and a Nissan Ariya will cost £37,500. However, technology is moving fast - both weight and cost are coming down by a decent percentage every year. After 2025, cost will no longer be a significant issue. - There are significant benefits of using EV's for camping: not only are they cheaper to run and maintain, the torque is instantaneous (useful at traffic lights). They also have regenerative braking which puts electricity back into the battery when going downhill and reduces wear on the brakes. - Future leisure EV's are likely to have standard 220V plug sockets (for example the Rivian R1T truck). Once you have access to that huge battery, you can go off-grid for weeks, without ever using propane for cooking or heating. Lead acid batteries are no longer needed, nor are 12V appliances.

[@andrewjditton]

All great points there! No need to apologise, I don't pretend to know everything and your comments are very interesting. All the best.

[@teeniemcnee]

Cracking film Andrew. Loved it.

[@AdamYorkshire89]

It's time folks, if you can afford to get out of urbanised Britain, its going to become a cesspit of unemployment, Ill health, poverty and despair.

[@unfurling3129]

Make Britain Great Again. Time to feel and act proud - that is the cure

[@christinegibbins6105]

Many thanks, found this very helpful.

[@andrewjditton]

You're welcome!

[@chrisborgmotorhome]

Thanks for a really informative video. Well done 💪🤛

[@andrewjditton]

Coming from you, Sir, that is a huge compliment! Thank you!

[@chrisborgmotorhome]

@@andrewjditton It was your channel that inspired me to make videos. They are so good.

[@Bessunger]

Great! honest and objective review on the current situation. View is highly recommended!

[@andrewjditton]

Much appreciated!

[@ManxAndy]

Excellent video Andrew, a great topic and very interesting, EVs are here to stay and we need to adapt.👍🇮🇲

[@andypeat8154]

This is probably the best balanced video I have ever seen - thank you Andrew

[@andrewjditton]

Very kind of you to say so, thanks Andy!

[@hsnaith]

Really interesting insights here - thanks Andrew. But I'm still wondering how all this will work in the more remoter parts of Scotland? Hopefully by the time I'm ready to embark on my campervan adventures, the infrastructures will be in place...

[@andrewjditton]

Good question!

[@sharongagne7413]

and by the by boy a Newfoundland saying, I am a truck gal through and through, but I have a van to tow my 21 foot trailer. However, I must learn how to back the darn thing up into campsites. I am real good at the driving ahead it is that dang backing up that gets me

[@sheldontaylor82]

Really interesting and informative video, thanks Andrew!

[@andrewjditton]

Glad it was helpful!

[@wordweaver58]

Bit of a worry, uncouplng the caravan at a services, in order to charge the vehicle. Would that cancel your caravan insurance if it is stolen?

[@lindaelizabethcole3675]

Very , very , interesting , great information , lots of food for thought for my future in touring and caravans , Skoda looks like a good replacement for my wonderful Rav 4 and a much smaller , lighter caravan !! Great views , was that the little white P.O. in the distance , love your vids Mr D hugs xo

[@andrewjditton]

Thanks Linda! White P.O? Post Office? :-/

[@libellula3313]

Thanks Andrew and Dougal, I have been waiting for a film like this, excellent thanks. The government change of rules is going to give the EV industry a boost I hope and lower prices, which is great.

[@ronclark9724]

How can the prices drop when there is more of a shortage for batteries than there is for petroleum... Colbalt is not as abundant as petroleum...

[@unfurling3129]

Don't hold your breath for lower prices..!

[@normandavies8317]

Excellent review Andrew and certainly food for thought. Thank you.

[@andrewjditton]

My pleasure Norman!

[@brandonwalksto3560]

Here in Canada they had a really short lived Canavan it was call a Prolite 12 V it was a little just a folding bed sofa little 12 v fridge a induction cooktop electric heater a dinette for 2 it would be a nice one to tow with a E Golf

[@andrewjditton]

Very cool!

[@willsgetoff1157]

Fantastic video Andrew, I agree with everything you're saying but also feel everything you said re-affirms my belief that EV is not the way forward. Range and price are just the start, battery life, and replacement costs are equally prohibitive. If the fuel companies or the government are prepared to stump up the infrastructure costs then hydrogen has to offer a better range of options not only for the leisure sector but for the haulage industry as well.

[@andrewjditton]

Indeed, we're still in early stages, which is why both Clubs are sensible not to rush into doing one thing or the other. But it makes the 10 year deadline rather ambitious!

[@batandball617]

Hydrogen power units are very heavy and very well suited to static use, ships, trains and HGV’s. Commercially produced hydrogen is extracted from fossil fuels using large amounts of electricity, so its fundamentally more expensive due to the extra processing step. It’s much more efficient using the electricity to power an electric motor. The only folk that will benefit from Hydrogen fuelled are the oil and gas companies who will spend billions installing the infrastructure that will continue their profiteering from fossil fuels to make back trillions of pounds while still polluting the earth as hydrogen production depends on fossil fuel extraction. Electric vehicles leverage existing cheap technology and decentralised the control of energy towards the consumer. I already power my electric car using my home solar panels, I can’t do that with petrol, diesel or hydrogen derived form fossil fuels.

[@Jungheinrick]

Nice outside broadcast! The blog that accompanies this is well worth a read too!

[@andrewjditton]

Thanks Chris!

[@petergardner4800]

I'm looking for a caravan or trailer with its own motor and battery to supplement the tow vehicle. Motor would be small and only activate when needed (uphill, acceleration, etc.)

[@andrewjditton]

Then the Dethleffs e-Home in this video would be for you! I understand it is still in development.

[@SB-hr5yr]

How long will it take to unhitch the caravan, go park it somewhere else in a car park service station/forecourt .. find an empty/working charging bay... charge the car then go and hitch the caravan up again? can't see that being an option. especially if the range towing a caravan is 100 miles or less.

[@andrewjditton]

I spoke to a chap with a Tesla/Bailey combo yesterday. He just accepts that at the moment he needs to unhitch to charge. It's a chicken and egg situation that will slowly improve.

[@nabarnes]

Interesting video, but I disagree with two of your suggestions: 1) I don't believe Hydrogen will become mainstream for cars (commercial vehicles where time is money, yes, but not cars) - there is a huge investment required in infrastructure - from manufacture to storage, transport to safe filling stations (hydrogen being umpteen times more dangerous than petrol). Add to that the fact that hydrogen is considerably less efficient than electricity for two reasons - firstly there are losses when creating the hydrogen and losses again when it is used to generate electricity and secondly because of the weight of the tank within the car that's required to safely store it. 2) I can't tow my Airstream with an EV now - with a MTPLM of 2800kg, I'm over the towing limit of the Tesla Model X! However, all that aside, owning a Tesla Model 3 (we don't use for towing), we have some experience of EV use in the UK. I really really wouldn't recommend using an EV to tow a caravan with right now. Again, for two reasons: 1) The charging infrastructure simply doesn't exist and isn't reliable at the moment (with the exclusion of Tesla Superchargers). Unless you're really going to limit yourself geographically, hunting for charging points and range anxiety aren't what I'd want to go through. Even the journey you describe would require a huge increase in the availability of high capacity charging points. 2) To the best of my knowledge, there are no charging points you can drive through whilst hitched up, and I can think of several where you couldn't even unhitch, drive to the charger and then back to the van to hitch up again. If anybody thinks I'm unhitching and leaving my Airstream in a motorway service station car park on its own for half an hour has got another think coming. I honestly think it'll be five years before the infrastructure is anywhere near ready for regular tourers. On the plus side, that gives manufacturers plenty of time to re-tool, re-design and completely up-end their marketing. All IMO and I may well be wrong about any or all of this.

[@andrewjditton]

You and me both Nick could be wrong - or we could be right! I think your estimation of 5 years for wide availability of drive-thru charge points is on point - right now we are at a chicken and egg scenario, where nobody tows with an EV so there are no pull-through charging points. The Airstream analogy was rhetorical - aka I'll be fine with my 532!! The subtle point there is that I think top-end caravans will pretty much carry on as normal, as they reflect the higher EV prices paid by early adopters. But as we are seeing more affordable EVs entering the market there is hardly anything for them to tow - I think that huge swathe of mid-range tourers might suffer. Basically, the clubs have been proactive and are truly ahead of the game. The manufacturers? Well... you know my thoughts there!

[@MF-vu6bj]

As always Andrew a truly excellent video. Have a Great Christmas

[@andrewjditton]

Thanks, you too!

[@simonbaxter8585]

Any chance of a resurgence of the folding camper and trailer tent?

[@ronclark9724]

Why bother with rolling stock... Pitch a tent...

[@katrinaclosier4872]

Another great video. Thanks Andrew 😀

[@andrewjditton]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@RobertoBuri]

1975 I had a Ford Taunus 1600 SW braun, Super!

[@paulrixon1644]

Crystal clear! Thanks once again Andrew.

[@andrewjditton]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rogermcnair4234]

Thanks Andrew for a piece of expertly researched and balanced journalism. It's too easy to get caught up in the emotion surrounding EVs and the 2030 'ban' on internal combustion engines. The latter is likely to be around in the form of PHEVs well past 2030. I'd like to pick up a couple of related issues. Caravan (and motorhome) manufacturers must wage a 'war on weight' and embrace new high strength composite technologies in their manufacturing processes. And across the UK & Europe legislators must consider carefully how to bring us to a low carbon future without adversely impacting rural communities, which are often on the low capacity end of the electricity grids, but rely on tourism to supplement meagre farming incomes. Love your final comments about worrying less about the future and embracing life now!

[@andrewjditton]

Cheers Roger. Agree totally on the points you raise. The aim is ambitious but let's hope... Thanks for watching.

[@koksy]

Could they not put solar panels on the roof of the caravan to allow it to charge the car while it's being driven?

[@yvindaadde8387]

Great to see you again Andrew! This is KZbin-journalism at its finest! I have been waiting for info like this! In Norway we have good incentives for going electric. I have a Tesla X (75) and a T@B 320. With some extra planning it works excellent. But, I am dreaming of an electric version of the Pössl 640 Summit! Imagine if the strategic cooperation between Fiat an Tesla could lead to implementing the Tesla drive chain into the European motorhome business!

[@andrewjditton]

Oh wow, that collaboration would be something else! Hopefully it will happen... after all, Elon Musk needs SOMETHING to spend all that money on! ;@)

[@Briersdad]

Thanks Andrew. I was just thinking I should type a request for you to start a series of vlogs on the latest innovations for Greener Touring. The way forward which might allow people like me for whom looking after the Environment in a Climat emergency is a major concern but who still yearn to get out there and make the most of Retirement as soon as C-19 allows. Excellent content and I look forward to an ongoing series. Great to see the star of the show enjoying life in the Hebrides.

[@andrewjditton]

Cheers David. As you will see by the interesting array of comments to this video, not all people are willing to change behaviours. I would LOVE an Enyaq towing a Dethleffs Coco, but the reality remains that I still have a good few years left in the Navara and Airstream yet, but when the time comes... All the best.

[@Briersdad]

@@andrewjditton www.dethleffs.co.uk/service/news/from-vision-to-reality/

[@Venomator.]

Excellent stuff as always Andrew, well structured, informative and most certainly thought provoking, especially for those on the cusp of changing their outfit, or anyone entering the hobby (?) for the first time. Thank you for the time and effort researching this much needed discussion and for putting it fairly and squarely out there, front and centre, where it needs to be... 👍🏻

[@andrewjditton]

Cheers Rog! Yes, I just wanted to start the conversation and assure people.

[@totaltouring9794]

Let’s hope that we can afford to change , if not then inevitably the pastime will sadly have a short future.

[@andrewjditton]

Let's not forget that most of those cars we already see on site are/were over £40k brand new... so I am sure we will be OK. I just think we might need to travel slower and caravans be a little smarter.

[@JohnSmith-bx8zb]

I note your comment on the new German lightweight Easy 350cp at 850kg. My 20yr old ABI rear doored Adventure 4 berth had all that back then. Just well before it’s time but an excellent design!!! Yes it is still running, sadly not been out during COVID.

[@andrewjditton]

I used to have one too John. As you say, 850kg all-in, but without heating. The new Whale HeatAir would fix that... I don't understand why they can't make something like that again?

[@JohnSmith-bx8zb]

@@andrewjditton just seen / read the review on the Bearfoot Classic, nice van but the price. Looking at that as a 2 berth and my ABI Adventurea with its rear door I personally thought that the designers have missed the point. I understand that the design was a Coventry Uni project. Perhaps a quick look at the ABI would have shown them the way. I noted a trap they fell into, no extractor fan in the washroom. Ideal to keep moisture levels down.

[@Bernie_Outdoors]

Great video on our options in the future. It's the now to 2030 decisions of what to do. We have about 12- 24 months before we need to consider the car change and the caravan could withstand a bit longer. No right answer for us today, but maybe in 6 to 12 mo the time. Costs come into play as well as we are retired. Keep up the excellent videos 😎

[@andrewjditton]

Cheers Bernie, I think you and I are pretty much in exactly the same position doing exactly the same thing!

[@Bob814u]

It is just passenger cars? Here is a thought: Will farmer's tractors have to be converted to electric? If so what will that do to the price of produce? Shipping: Sea going vessels and transport trucking? Most importantly: How does the weather affect the electric vehicles? I know with model RC aircraft and amateur radio the cold weather will take about 50% of your battery life before needing to recharge. Driving from your home to Glasgow just got two days longer. Just a few things to consider.

[@andrewjditton]

I think that is where hydrogen will come in. But agriculture is also a good reason why diesel will surely be around for a while yet.

[@henrylinsdell9598]

Thought provoking

[@warndonboy]

Don't forget. These batteries don't last forever. Im guessing the replacement cost would be quite expensive.

[@EV-Diary]

One of the hardest parts is charging there’s no room with current chargers to charge with a caravan on the back

[@andrewjditton]

That is a real chicken-and-egg scenario. Right now there are no drive-through chargers as almost nobody tows with electric...

[@stevegibbons7452]

Really enjoyed the video - thanks 👍

[@RuffRides]

you need to make a vegan cafe road trip video, thats the hardest thing to plan!

[@andrewjditton]

Ahh, Happy Cow is all you need!

[@eloicoloma7842]

Personally, I think that the towing capacity of different car models is more of a commercial issue than a technical one. For example, while the Skoda Enyaq indicates that it can only tow 1000kg, the Hyundai Ionic 5 indicates 1600kg, with only a few more hp and NM (13 and 40 respectively). Both manufacturers know that towing will drastically reduce autonomy, so it seems to me that the value they choose to homologate depends on how they want to manage their customer's expectations about this subject.

[@andrewjditton]

Yes, I totally agree with you on that!

[@michaelwade1092]

Sorry just watched this now, 10/21 Could a Caravan be a a Generator/Dynamo whilst been towed, so effectively giving power back to the Tow Car? Im sure there are many ideas on the Manufacturers drawing board.

[@CesareTomasini]

I'm not sure if it will be better or not, I agree it will be different from today. For sure this is the most unsuitable moment for big investments on any kind of vehicle; in my area, which is north Italy, we already face big limitations for the use of diesel powered cars, because we have an high pollution level due to industries and weather conditions. Anyway, as usual a very professional and inspirational point of view: once again MY COMPLIMENTS to you!! Bravo!

[@andrewjditton]

Molte grazie amico mio!

[@nealeburgess6756]

Thank you Andrew. Informative as always. Just thinking about your trip to Glasgow. Sounds OK, but not really that convenient. You glossed over the problems of charging points. Sometimes there are already people using them. How do you connect up with a caravan in tow? I know I am being a bit negative towards EVs, but to turn a blind eye to the logistic problems on the road ahead will not do us any good. There are enormous problems to make EV motoring the norm with or without a caravan/RV.

[@andrewjditton]

Hi Neale, it was a hypothetical analogy, but of course you have made a very good point. The problem with chargers and caravan towing is quite chicken-and-egg. At the moment there are next to no drive-through chargers because nobody tows with an EV. But if people start to do so... And yes, my concern is also the availability of charging points... and where all that electricity will come from? I think the 2030 deadline is ambitious, but we shall see.

[@sharongagne7413]

blahahahah still funny second time around watching just a quick "Merry Christmas", from Canada to wee Dougal (yes, you too Andrew hahahaha) my weird sense of humour

[@lindabruce355]

Hi Andrew. Hope you and Dougal are well. Just wanted to say hello and stay safe. Love. From a scot who hasn't been to the Hebrides yet but would love to see it for myself. Am a bit "jel" cos i live with pain. Its no fair. So please go bk. Do it for me too plz. All the best for 2021

[@TheWacoKid1963]

GLAMPING, I remember when it used to be called HOLIDAYING AT BUTLINS lol

[@andrewjditton]

Hmm... if that was glamping, then you were definitely in better chalets than we had at Bognor! :)

[@1320fastback]

I'm in the USA and would love a 1 ton capacity truck with a 500 mile range. Would prefer a hybrid for bookdocking reasons. A small turbine engine driving a generator for the truck and trailer would be amazing!

[@protonneutron9046]

solar is much better for boondocking. Save the LP for stove & reffer.

[@RobS32]

Spot on mate 👍. Great film 👌

[@andrewjditton]

Glad you enjoyed it