3. Lithium battery technology. Free camping is the ultimate goal for many caravanners but most were held back by their battery systems. Today, with the proliferation of lithium battery technology combined with advanced solar battery management systems, we can free-camp for longer periods of time without sacrificing any of the creature comforts featured in modern caravans.
WHAT ABOUT THE NEXT 10 YEARS?
To be fair, I don’ t have a crystal ball but if the last few months are anything to go by, I reckon you can bank on a few things that will have to happen if the industry is to survive and thrive.
With the price of diesel hitting $ 3 / L, the days of large 4WDs towing heavy caravans will become a thing of the past. Australians have purchased EVs and hybrids in record numbers and that trend is showing no signs of changing anytime soon.
Just looking at the new vehicle sales figures for 2026 tells you all you need to know.
RV FEATURE
Nissan and Isuzu don’ t even feature in the top 10 list and both have suffered declines in market share.
Australian caravan manufacturers cannot ignore this new and rapidly expanding segment of the market. EVs and hybrids are just not up to the task of towing heavy caravans over long distances. Well, not yet, anyway. Caravans will have to become lighter, more aerodynamic and possibly incorporate their own electric drivetrains to reduce the load on the tow vehicle.
Or perhaps there’ s something else about to happen we haven’ t even explored as yet. Sales of towable RVs dropped in August this year by 15.5 per cent, whereas sales of motorhomes and campervans was up a whopping 100.5 per cent! What’ s this pointing to? Look out for these vehicles being offered in hybrid drivetrains over the next 12 months.
Winners |
Losers |
BYD up 124.1 % |
Toyota down 21.4 % |
GWM up 20.5 % |
Ford down 10.6 % |
Cherry up 76.8 % |
Mazda down 17.2 % |
Tesla up 66.7 % |
Mitsubishi down 25.7 % |
/ 41