ACSI conducted a survey among nearly 4,000 caravan owners to compile its annual research on vehicles towing caravans. The survey covered both the Dutch and German markets, providing insights into the most popular brands and models in 2023. The data collected confirms the dominance of SUVs (with only one non-SUV in the top 10 towing vehicles). However, the most intriguing aspect revealed by the research concerns the ongoing electrification in this market, gaining momentum compared to 2022.
The study highlighted the rise of electric vehicles among caravan owners: according to ACSI’s findings, in 2023, 6.5% of new towing vehicles were electric, with the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla Model Y, and Volvo XC40 emerging as the most popular models.
Ramon Van Reine, CEO of ACSI, sees this as an encouraging development, considering that just a year earlier, this percentage was only 2%. Moreover, the majority of these electric vehicles were not company cars, emphasizing that caravan owners are making this choice as private buyers.
“Two-thirds of these vehicles were hybrids (plug-in),” commented Van Reine, “making it so that almost three-quarters of recently purchased towing vehicles have some form of electric propulsion on board. The role of diesel seems to have diminished in new sales, accounting for just 1.6%.”
Caravan owners are gearing up to embrace the ecological transition, albeit with some reservations. While electric vehicles approved for towing are increasingly available and capable of handling substantial weights (up to 2,500 kg for the best performers), the challenge of limited battery range persists, exacerbated by the added weight of the caravan. Despite these challenges, the ACSI survey results make it clear that the path towards electrification is well-established in the caravan travel sector.
Photo credit: ACSI
