Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 i What Motorhome

Great news for the motorhome market came this month as the Government announced changes to its EV mandate, which has been causing so much uncertainty in the wider motor industry. We now know that diesel (and petrol) vans, as well as campervans and motorhomes, can still be sold new in the UK until 2035. Whether that date will shift again, and who will be in No 10 by then, would need a crystal ball to ascertain, but it gives clarity to our industry for the next decade. There are still no realistic electric base vehicles on the horizon for larger motorhomes, and seemingly almost zero demand for EV campervans, but the announcement of a hybrid version of the Volkswagen California is an interesting development. We’ll be fascinated to see how…

Honda has revealed a camper car concept inspired by Japan’s capsule hotels, based on its first plug-in hybrid model for Europe. It features cooking facilities and a washbasin, plus sleeping space for two people and was built using specialist camping equipment, genuine Honda accessories and some bespoke features. Although the Dream Pod is only a concept, you can buy individual components to build your own version. Based on Honda’s CR-V ePHEV, a plug-in hybrid which offers 49 miles of EV range, the Dream Pod was designed to celebrate 30 years of the CR-V. The original CR-V – Compact Runabout Vehicle – was launched in 1995 and it’s now in its sixth generation. At the heart of the Dream Pod transformation is the Egoé Nestboard 650, a compact in-car camping solution…

THE Carado campervan range – identified by the ‘CV’ prefix – covers all the usual bases offered by continental brands, so there are 5.41m, 5.99m and 6.36m-long variants, all with fixed bed floorplans. Entry-level models are based on the Peugeot Boxer, while the higher-spec Pro and Pro+ models switch to the Fiat Ducato. The CV600 is the classic layout in the six-metre panel van, so it has the usual half-dinette lounge with swivel cab seats, a central galley and washroom and a transverse double bed in the rear. It is one of two layouts offered in the ultimate Pro+ specification (you can also have a CV640 Pro+ based on the extra-long van, featuring lengthways sleeping in single beds at the back). The additional features that make the Pro+ models special…

Changes to the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate have been announced this month. The Government confirmed its commitment to the phasing out of the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) cars by 2030 (a date that had previously been changed to 2035 by the Conservative administration), but there have been some concessions, including ones that are very significant for the campervan and motorhome industry. Firstly, hybrid vehicles, including plug-in hybrids, can now be sold post-2030, up to 2035. More importantly, however, internal combustion engine vans (petrol or diesel, without any hybrid/electric element) can now also continue to be sold until 2035. Furthermore, all micro vehicle manufacturers, small vehicle manufacturers, special purpose and kit vehicles are exempt from the requirement to end the sale of pure ICE cars by…

Order books are now open for the eHybrid version of the new VW California, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ first-ever plug-in hybrid campervan. Prices start at £71,295 for the California Beach Camper eHybrid, £78,495 for the California Coast trim, and £85,395 for the top-spec California Ocean. Finance packages start from £739 per month on 0% APR with hire purchase. Continuing Volkswagen’s long history in the campervan world as the California enters the electric era, the new eHybrid versions come with 4Motion all-wheel drive. Featuring a combined output of 245hp (more than the diesel or pure petrol versions), the new powertrain option combines an electric motor with a high-tech 1.5 TSI petrol engine. For everyday motoring, the 19.7kWh lithium-ion battery delivers a WLTP range of 54 miles of pure electric range, while towing…

Stellantis has announced updates to its light commercial vehicle (LCV) range, affecting the Citroën Relay, Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Vauxhall Movano vans. In preparation for the new emissions legislation set to take effect on 1 January, 2026, Stellantis has updated its 2.2-litre diesel engines to comply with the stricter requirements ahead of schedule. The 7in infotainment touchscreen will also become an optional extra for all diesel variants, as already seen on the electric models. Available for £400 (excluding VAT), this optional extra replaces the standard 5in display screen and can connect to both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.…

IT’S rare to find an A-class motorhome with a rear lounge but Bürstner’s Lyseo I 744 not only has a comfy seating area in the stern, it also has a dinette (providing extra travel seats) up front. And it has two drop-down double beds, one at each end, too. Based on a 4,400kg Fiat Ducato, it comes with flush-fitting framed habitation windows, an awning, a 100W solar panel and 16in alloy wheels as standard. The Flex-spec cab also brings with it allseason tyres, a leather steering wheel, a multimedia system with reversing camera, ESP, Hill Holder and Traction Plus, while the Heavy chassis includes the 180hp motor and eightspeed automatic transmission with start/stop and a low-frame chassis with wide rear track. Payload is generous at over 900kg. Body construction includes…

ETRUSCO builds campervans (its CV and CV Plus models on Fiat Ducato) and low-profile (or semi-integrated) coachbuilt motorhomes on a choice of Fiat Ducato or Ford Transit chassis. This is neither, it’s what Etrusco calls a Van, or what we’d refer to as a narrow-bodied low-profile motorhome. It’s in a range of three ‘V’ models with lengths from 5.99m to 6.83m, but all just 2.14m wide (18cm less broad than Etrusco’s other motorhomes). With less width, this Ford Transit-based range is designed to be more versatile, taking you into the city or down that narrow lane to the beach without worrying. And yet it has the extra space of a motorhome, thanks to the flat sides, and the superior insulation, too. The Van range also offers open-feeling interiors with clear…