Caravan fair in Dusseldorf: mini trailers and twelve-meter ships

Mobile homes and camping trailers are booming, and not just since Corona. At the Caravan Fair in Düsseldorf, the industry is showing its innovations. The price ranges are enormous – and electric mobility is also a trend here.

As always, there is something to marvel at the Caravan fair in Düsseldorf. The “Morelo Gran Empire 120” is one of them: a twelve meter long ship, a luxury mobile home. With double real glass windows, underfloor heating and a rear garage for a small car. The basic price of the vehicle is around 770,000 euros. Who buys this? “Most of them are successful entrepreneurs,” says Heiko Paul from the manufacturer Morelo. “Many have sold their company and then want to enjoy their retirement.”

But the trend is towards compact and cheaper caravans. The French manufacturer Silver, for example, has an entry-level caravan for 18,000 euros. The Reimo company is showing a converted Volkswagen Caddy at the Caravan. With a pull-out bed in the rear and additional sleeping space in the pop-up roof, it costs just under 50,000 euros. And you don’t need an additional car for everyday use, says Jan Schelper from Reimo.

Industry boom and delivery bottlenecks

With 736 exhibitors, the Düsseldorf Caravan set a record this year. The industry has been booming for many years, and the pandemic has fueled the trend. Nevertheless, fewer recreational vehicles were newly registered in the first seven months of the current year.

“We now have the same problems as all other manufacturing companies: We lack skilled workers, but we also lack parts in the supply chain,” says Daniel Onggowinarso, Managing Director of the caravanning industry association. There is a lack of material from the very small part to the large chassis on which the motorhome is built. “The result is that there are many unfinished vehicles on the farms,” ​​said the association spokesman.

Electro trend still in its infancy

And electromobility is also a trend that is still in its infancy in the motorhome industry. At the Caravan, Fiat is showing a fully electric panel van that can be converted into a motor home. According to the manufacturer, the range is 330 kilometers.

The electric drive is also a topic at the manufacturer Knaus Tabbert, says company spokesman Stefan Diehl: “We are developing a motorhome that is fully electric. It should have a range of around 100 kilometers.” However, the mobile should also have a small combustion engine that is coupled to a generator – to charge the battery while driving.

After the trade visitor day on Friday, the Düsseldorf Caravan will open its doors to anyone interested on Saturday. The fair lasts until September 4th.