China: three-day self-drive tour along the 'Thousand Li of Mountains and Seas' route with camper and tent stays

A man driving a vehicle worth over 500,000 yuan on an international road trip with his son had his car remotely locked for 30 hours, disabling all smart functions. The manufacturer stated the lock is used to prevent resale or theft and may reoccur when crossing multiple borders.

The article names three locations in China for grassland camping in 2026: the surroundings of Jining District in Ulanqab (a motorhome camp with 18°C and 15 minutes to a tertiary hospital), Gongbaolag Grassland in Taipus Banner (flat terrain and county hospital linkage), and the Ulanbutong Scenic Area (Red Cross station with AED and oxygen equipment). For families with children, Taipusi is recommended; for young couples, Ulanqab; for the elderly, Ulanbutong. The article provides data on costs (100 yuan per day for a motorhome spot in Ulanqab), distances to hospitals, and camp facilities.

The average rental price for motorhomes in China has fallen by 20–30% year-on-year, with orders rising in popular tourist destinations. In Xinjiang and Yunnan, motorhome rentals increased by 50%. The government's 15th Five-Year Plan includes support for motorhome camping, and three cities (Yangzhou, Qingdao, Lanzhou) have been selected as pilot cities for auto consumption reform. Experts caution that buying a motorhome requires careful calculation: using it 30 days a year results in daily costs of about 2,200 yuan, comparable to a five-star hotel room.

Chery has introduced its first motorhome built on a light truck chassis, the Reve N6 Pro. Based on the Sinotruk Howo Tongshuai Pro platform, it features an 8-speed automatic transmission and a 200-litre fuel tank, giving a range of up to 1600 km. Dimensions are 5998×2550×3290 mm, allowing it to be driven with a standard B-class licence. Standard equipment includes a 400-litre fresh water tank, a 150-litre grey water tank, a 25.6 V 628 Ah lithium battery (approx. 16 kWh, expandable to 32 kWh) and 2480 W of solar panels. The recommended price is 378,000 yuan.

Chinese RV manufacturers face assembly issues with large bodies: leaks, misalignment, and excess weight. As an alternative to stamped metal and fiberglass (FRP), thick-sheet thermoforming is proposed. Zhejiang Liansu, with 12 automated lines, offers two options: one-piece forming for standard RVs (up to 4×2×1.1 m) and modular assembly for oversized shells. One-piece forming from ABS or PC+ASA eliminates leaks and halves fitting time; the modular version uses sealed locks and CNC machining with ±0.1 mm accuracy.

Lynk & Co started sales of the 07GT on July 23 in four trims, priced from 145,800 to 196,800 yuan. The car features an EM-P hybrid system, 200 km of electric range and 1,422 km total range. It can tow up to 1.6 tonnes and provides 6 kW of external power.