ADAC fuel discount: new partner for motorhome owners

Journalists tested the 7.5-meter Carado T457 Edition 27 motorhome. It is 2.32 meters wide and 2.93 meters high. The model features a shower, a double bed, and a large trunk. Due to its size, the vehicle is difficult to park in residential areas.

Anna, 65, from Nuremberg lives in a caravan on a meadow owned by her family to make ends meet. She receives unemployment benefits of 894 euros per month, which are not enough to live on, and expects to receive a regular pension of about 1,300 euros in 15 months. Anna describes how she fell through the cracks of the social system after divorce, bankruptcy, and the death of her son.

A Spaniard named Jesus sold his apartment and moved into a six-meter camper named 'India' with his German shepherd Zeus. His monthly expenses now range from 300 to 500 euros, covering food and diesel. Previously, he spent at least twice as much on housing costs like property tax and utilities. He built the interior himself over 1.5 years, with a insulated roof tent costing 1,500 euros and storage boxes around 100 euros. However, a new Fiat Ducato costs about 80,000 euros, 30,000 more than he paid. In Berlin, permanent living in a motorhome on public streets is not allowed, and heating is needed from November.

La Strada will present the new Avanti R camper based on the Fiat Ducato at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf. The 6.36-meter model with H3 high roof features a rear lounge and an electric drop-down bed measuring 202 x 192 cm. Standard equipment includes automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, and other safety systems. The entire Avanti line has been updated with compressor refrigerators, a revised kitchen, and new design.

Starting July 7, 2026, all new motorhome registrations in the EU must comply with Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 (GSR II). For motorhomes up to 3.5 tons, mandatory systems include automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, driver fatigue monitoring, tire pressure monitoring, and more. For heavy motorhomes (over 3.5 tons), separate requirements apply, including blind spot detection systems. Vehicles already registered are exempt from retrofitting. The new rules are expected to increase the purchase prices of new motorhomes.

The ADAC camping portal Pincamp has published a ranking of the most popular campsites in Saarland for 2026. Camping Losheim am See in the Merzig-Wadern district took first place again, followed by Campingplatz Bostalsee in Bosen in second. Newcomer Campingplatz Kanu-Wanderer Saarbrücken in Saarbrücken-Burbach ranked third. The ranking is based on an analysis of German campers' usage behavior.