It has come to no surprise that this day would come, although we weren’t expecting it to be this soon. The Government recently announced that new petrol and diesel cars will no longer be sold in the UK after 2030. So what will this mean? How will the move to electric cars affect the caravan industry? Will electric cars be able to tow my caravan? Will this mean the beginning of the end of touring caravans?
Not quite. As much as time does fly and 2030 will soon be upon us, there are many factors that should put your mind at ease. So whether you’re worried that you’ve just bought a caravan and only have so many years to use it, or if you’re thinking of buying a caravan but this has put you off… then don’t let this announcement stop you. Why shouldn’t it put you off, you may ask? Well here’s some reasons why:
8 Reasons Why This Announcement Shouldn’t Put You Off
There Are Already Electric Vehicles That Can Tow
The biggest worry for most people is whether their caravan can be towed by an electric car. Well, many people may not know this but there are already electric cars out there today that can tow caravans. In fact, the Tesla Model X has a towing capacity of 2,270kg. Which can tow pretty much most single axle caravans at that.
Electric cars are arguably better suited to towing than petrol or diesel alternatives. The reason why many people say this is because of the torque between electric and diesel / petrol. The best tow cars are those that produce as much torque as possible from very low engine speeds, meaning that the driver doesn’t have to work the engine hard to get a heavy load moving.
The advantages of an electric car compared to petrol and diesel is that they can produce maximum torque as soon as the motor starts turning. As electric cars produces maximum torque all the time, this makes them capable at pulling away from a standstill with a heavy load behind safely.
But don’t think this is the be-all-and-end-all though. There are other factors to consider such as car weight and battery life. One thing to be certain though is that there are already electric cars out there capable of towing. So we do have ahead start already.
So Much Changes In 10 years
Let’s not forget it is 10 years away. There are already electric cars that can tow, so in 10 years time we can only imagine that their capabilities will improve further. In the last 10 – 20 years we have seen technology change drastically. From the introduction to mobile phones, smart TV’s, electric cars and now you can even tell Google to turn your lights on.
With electric cars already in fruition we can only expect that they’ll be more advanced in 10 years time.
We Still Have 10 Years Of New Petrol And Diesel Cars
Like we said above so much changes in 10 years time but car manufacturers will still be able to manufacture new diesel and petrol cars if they wanted to. Cleverly, what this has prompted the car manufacturers in the UK to do, is to come up with alternatives. Which can only be good for the British economy if electric cars are built in the UK.
But again if you’re worried about buying a caravan or already bought one well there are 10 years of new diesel and petrol cars being built.
Petrol And Diesel Cars Will Still Be Around After 2030
The key phrase in this announcement by the Government is the word ‘New’. It is an announcement to manufacturers that they should no longer be manufacturing new vehicles that are powered by diesel or petrol.
So there will still be diesel and petrol cars around after 2030 as the transition to electric comes into fruition. In fact, diesel and petrol cars are expected to still be around for decades before they are off the road completely – if that is what we believe the Government is moving towards.
There Maybe Other Eco-Friendly Alternatives
Hydrogen power is another backed technology that is fast developing. It has been known to be more suitable in heavy vehicles such as lorries and buses. In fact there are also hydrogen cars as well that are available to purchase in some countries across the world.
So we can’t write off hydrogen not being another eco-friendly alternative that maybe used. One major flaw with electric cars is the time it takes to recharge the battery. This is something that car manufacturers will have to consider when making the shift to electric vehicles. Hydrogen on the other hand is not much different to diesel and petrol when it comes to refuelling. It is just a case of pumping in the fuel and off you go.
What About The Valuation Of My Caravan?
You can never know for sure but we expect that the value of your caravan won’t depreciate much if not at all. We expect that in 10 – 20 years time electric cars will be more advanced to pull your caravan. Although, depending on the weight of your caravan this could have an impact on the depreciation as well. If electric cars find themselves in a position where they aren’t capable of towing a caravan of such a size this could have an affect on your caravans value.
Although what are the odds that you’ll stick with the same caravan you have now for more than 10 years? Naturally it will depreciate in 10 years time – So I wouldn’t worry to much about this right now.
It is also worth noting that caravans are less likely to depreciate due to this compared to the likes of motorhomes or campervans. But that is another subject.
Caravan Manufacturers Will Also Make Changes
It won’t be just car manufacturers that will be forced to make changes, you may also see caravan manufacturers making changes to their models to ensure towing capabilities can be met. Starting with the caravan weights.
Caravan manufacturers in the next 10 – 20 years will be surely looking at other innovative ways for you to enjoy your caravan leisurely yet tightening up on how heavy the caravan will be. Caravan weight is a major factor when it comes to buying a caravan as this affects the type of car you have to buy as well. We have already seen in the last few decades shifts from using heavy wood to lightweight plastics / fiberglass.
So with the move to electric cars you may see some changes in the materials that are used in caravans today.
The Industry Is Too Big To Lose?
One thing is for sure the the touring caravan, motorhome and caravan holiday home industry contributes more than £6 billion per annum to the UK economy according NCC Academy. £6 billion is surely something not to be sniffed at. It also shows you just how popular it is as well. Electric cars will certainly not put an end to touring caravans, in fact it is only going to enable us to go on more caravan holidays.
So there we have it. Let’s not worry about your recent caravan purchase or whether you should go and buy another one because the much loved caravanning experiences will still be around for many years to come, well after 2030. In fact, what are you waiting for? Look at upgrading your new caravan today and browse through our used caravans for sale.
