Motorhome catches fire in Beijing; firefighters extinguish blaze, no injuries

China is experiencing a surge in demand for electric motorhomes and campers, driven by domestic tourism and a 16% increase in tourism revenue in 2025. According to Bloomberg and Chinese media, orders for new-energy vehicles are growing 10 times faster year-on-year, and the camping market reached nearly 250 billion yuan in 2025, up from 113.5 billion yuan in 2022. Electric motorhomes offer camping and sleep modes, allow use of appliances and 4K projectors, and maintain stable interior temperatures for pet travel. 53% of travelers are millennials born in the 1990s. The country has over 21 million charging stations, enabling such trips.

Anshun (Guizhou province) is seeing a rise in RV parking spots, attracting tourists from across China. From May to July 2023, one lot recorded over 100 vehicles, with some guests staying up to five months.

China's Ministry of Commerce and eight other agencies issued 17 measures to boost the automotive aftermarket. The policy aims to legalize vehicle modifications, develop motorhome camping, and build infrastructure for car tourism. China has 370 million vehicles, and the global aftermarket is valued at over $1 trillion.

A flash flood triggered by heavy rain struck a campsite in Gansu province, northwest China, on July 26, killing 10 people and injuring 23. Local authorities reported that tourists camping in the area were caught in the flood. Rescue teams have evacuated 174 people, and search operations are ongoing.

On July 26, CATL began the Western Sichuan leg of its 100,000 km national road test for the Xinlan chassis, sending a Welltufeng motorhome from Chengdu across the high-altitude plateau. The Xinlan chassis, developed by CATL subsidiary Times Xin'an, is a standardized platform for electric motorhomes, positioned as the 'Android system' for the industry. It features a 270 kW dual-motor all-wheel drive, range-extender hybrid, 68 kWh battery, and over 800 km range. Motorhomes based on the Xinlan chassis start at around 450,000 yuan.

A flash flood triggered by a short but intense rainstorm in the Shuangshimen scenic area of Gansu province, China, killed 10 people and injured 23 others on July 26. The downpour intensified around 2 p.m., accompanied by hail, causing a rapid rise in water levels in a steep mountain gorge. Although the hourly rainfall of 10.9 mm did not meet the threshold for a severe storm, the area's steep terrain and narrow riverbed led to a destructive flood. Rescue teams evacuated 247 people, deploying 305 firefighters and 68 vehicles.