The Germans love to travel with motorhomes or caravans. But which one exactly? The Caravan Salon, the world’s largest trade fair of its kind, offers guidance and highlights new trends.
Traveling through the country in your own four walls continues to be popular. The number of registered motorhomes and caravans has been rising for years. Anyone looking to buy a new vehicle is faced with a multitude of choices.
This is evident from a tour of the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, which, according to the trade fair organizers, is the world’s largest show in the industry. From family-sized caravans to mini-caravans for electric cars—these are the six trends at the Caravan Salon:
- Lightweight mini-caravan for electric cars
Those who already drive an electric car appreciate as little weight as possible on the hitch. For this target group, manufacturer Adria has developed a mini-caravan that weighs only 750 kilograms. Despite an interior length of three meters, it offers not only a kitchen unit and a bathroom but also a seating area that can be converted into a double bed. A third person can sleep in a kind of hammock above the bed. Adria’s “Aviva Lite 300 LH” costs just under €14,000 in its basic version. - Design study with a children’s sleeping cave
The vehicle manufacturer Bürstner has named its caravan design study “Talis,” which features some unique aspects: a seating bench can be removed and hooked outside the caravan. The same can be done with two cooking plates, allowing for outdoor cooking. Inside, a double bed can be created through an inflatable extension at the rear. Under the parents’ sleeping area, there is a kind of sleeping cave for children with two mattresses and a light strip on the wall. Aerodynamically shaped and built using lightweight construction, the “Talis” should also be easily towed by electric vehicles. However, it is still unclear when the prototype will go into series production and how much it will cost. - Robust all-wheel-drive motorhome
For customers who want to leave the usual paths, there are motorhomes. Manufacturer Eura Mobil is showcasing its new “Xtura” model at the trade fair, an all-wheel-drive vehicle based on the Mercedes Sprinter van. The structure is particularly stable, allowing three people to explore the world comfortably. However, the all-wheel-drive fun comes at a price: the base model costs €145,000. - Vans for traveling with yacht prestige
Malibu presents the travel van “Genius 641 LE” in Düsseldorf, which is also based on the Mercedes Sprinter. With a rear extension, it reaches a length of 6.41 meters and offers enough space for two-meter-long beds. The base price is around €93,000. The off-road version costs around €150,000. Manufacturer Hobby wants nearly €70,000 for its new “Prestige Van.” The design is chic and is intended to resemble the interior of yachts. The layout is classic: a seating area in the driver’s cabin, a compact bathroom with a shower, single beds at the rear, and a kitchen. - Sleeping for six in a caravan
Another caravan, even one with sleeping accommodations for six people, is also exhibited in Düsseldorf. For this reason, Tabbert promotes the “Senara 620 DMK” model as suitable for large families. With a length of 6.38 meters, there is a separable area that includes a bedroom, bathroom, and dressing room. Prices start at €32,100. - Roof tent with a view of the moon
Even those with a penchant for camping on car roofs will find something of interest at the fair. For example, the company Fiamma is presenting an update of its “Moonlight” roof tent, in which up to three people can sleep. It can be installed on camper vans, SUVs, and generally any vehicle with roof rails. The three-person version costs just under €2,500.
In total, 778 exhibitors are showcasing their products in 16 halls and on an outdoor area. In addition to motorhomes and caravans, accessories, expansion parts, tents, and mobile homes are also presented. Destinations, campsites, and motorhome parking spaces also advertise themselves at the Caravan Salon. In 2023, around 254,000 people visited the trade fair. “Potential buyers will be pleased with the predominantly stable and sometimes even slightly reduced price level of the new caravans and motorhomes,” said a trade fair spokesperson. A trend in caravans is lightweight and compact trailers that are suitable for electric vehicles. In the motorhome sector, there is a new generation of base vehicles with more assistance systems and more fuel-efficient engines. “All-wheel drive is also becoming increasingly common,” the spokesperson added. At the beginning of 2024, according to the Caravaning Industry Association (CIVD), nearly 908,000 motorhomes were registered in Germany. In addition, there were more than 770,000 caravans.
