🇳🇱 Netherlands — OpenVan.camp

The Handicamp Overijssel foundation uses a specially equipped camper, the Handicamper, to take people with physical disabilities on holiday. This year Stefan Schuurman travelled to England, his sixth trip with the vehicle. The camper features a toilet with grab rails, a special shower chair and a slide-out system that doubles the interior space. Each trip includes four volunteers and a driver. The foundation is seeking new volunteers as its current team approaches retirement age.

On Wednesday evening, a check of two campers at a parking lot near Keelven in Someren led to the discovery of a stolen caravan. Two men from Ireland and England were arrested on suspicion of possessing the stolen caravan and using false license plates. An officer noticed the men with a car and caravan at a parking lot along the Provincialeweg, where camping is not allowed. The car and caravan were found to have false Belgian license plates, and the car had no valid registration. The caravan was registered with a German plate and belonged to a person in Germany who was unaware of the theft until contacted by German police. The men are held in custody in Eindhoven for further investigation.

The municipality of Westerkwartier has ordered the owner to remove a defective camper from Grijze Hoogte in Leek by Thursday 8 October. The long-term parking violates the General Local Regulations (APV).

Dutch company Jaway Campers from the town of Soest has developed the compact Antilope caravan, designed to be towed by electric and hybrid vehicles. The maximum permissible weight is less than 750 kg, with a length of 415 cm, width of 200 cm and height of 215 cm. The caravan features an outdoor kitchen with a portable Cadac Glamp Chef 40 gas barbecue, a 50-litre refrigerator, a 75 Ah lithium battery with a solar panel, and a U-shaped seating area that converts into a 148 x 200 cm bed. An optional roof tent adds a 120 x 225 cm sleeping space.

Chinese manufacturer Lidu RV is developing European distribution through Dutch company Starlight in Hengelo. The Cube 450 has become a production model, the Aquila 360 and Veteran 350 caravans are in the final stage of European TÜV and WVTA homologation, and the Cube 800 will be presented in January at the CMT show in Stuttgart. Lidu's international program includes four models: Cube 450, Aquila 360, Veteran 350 and Cube 800. The Cube 450 weighs 1,630 kg unladen with a maximum weight of 1,800 kg and offers two to four berths; in China, pricing starts at 169,800 yuan. The Cube 800, measuring 8.84 m long, 2.70 m wide and weighing 4,700 kg, is positioned as mobile living space for extended stays in one location.

Dutch company Offroadcaravans, in partnership with South African workshop BorderX, has launched the compact Sandy Desert X (SDX) travel trailer on the European market. The model is positioned as the smallest trailer in the brand's lineup, designed for off-road use and autonomous living. The load-bearing frame is produced by European concern Knott, the suspension uses trailing arms with separate springs and shock absorbers per wheel, and the tires are mud-terrain MT. The curb weight is 1000 kg, maximum gross weight is 1750 kg, permissible technical load is 2500 kg, and payload is 750 kg. The kitchen unit with refrigerator, hob, and sink slides out for outdoor cooking; some cabinets are left empty. A roof rack with an included tent and a bat-wing awning are mounted on the roof. Standard equipment includes two 100 Ah batteries, a charger, a 50-amp Anderson connector, USB and 12 V ports; a solar panel is not included. A mount for an off-road motorcycle or e-bike is available.

Unico has introduced the Modena, a modular system of front and side walls for roof-mounted cassette awnings. The system is designed for Thule and Fiamma awnings and allows users to create a sheltered living space under the awning. The side walls have a curved shape, adding about one metre of usable width per side. Eight widths are available, ranging from 300 to 500 cm. With a front wall and an awning with a 250 cm projection, the Modena provides a depth of up to approximately 280 cm. The walls attach via the existing awning rail on the caravan, without the need for poles. Removable mud flaps are fitted at the bottom. Side walls come in three versions: without window, with window, and De Luxe with a window, zip-up blackout flap and ventilation panel. Materials include Ten Cate All Season fabric and PVC-coated Bisonyl. The system is not suitable for all caravans: aerodynamically shaped caravans or those with a roof bend may not accommodate the awning across the full width.

Early Tuesday morning a caravan burned down at Bosweg in Anloo. A neighbouring caravan was damaged, no one was inside, cause under investigation.

VER member Floris Mokveld tested an electric camper based on the Peugeot e-Boxer, built by Van Jorn. The vehicle's kerb weight is 3,380 kg, which with two people and luggage exceeds the 3,500 kg limit for a standard B driving licence. With a 110 kWh battery, real-world range is about 250 km between fast-charging stops. Since July 2025, the Netherlands allows electric campers up to 4,250 kg to be driven with a B licence under certain conditions, but other European countries have not yet adopted this measure. Mokveld plans to take the C1 practical exam by the end of October.

BOVAG outlines the checks performed during a caravan service: chassis, coupling, overrun brake, jockey wheel, breakaway cable, brake drum and shoes, lighting, electrics, sealant joints for moisture, and the gas system, which is pressure-tested to detect leaks. BOVAG advises a full service every two years, a chassis check in between, and tyre replacement every six years. Also featured: the Eriba Touring with a steel tube frame and aluminium skin, 2.26 m high when folded and 1.95 m standing height with roof raised, lengths from 5.6 to 6.46 m, up to 5 berths; and the Camp-let Alba for two, with a 1.40 by 2 m bed, 275 kg empty weight and 425 kg payload.

Before placing a caravan or camper into winter storage, it is advisable to check ventilation grilles, seals around cables and pipes, and other openings. According to Rentokil, mice can enter through a gap of about 5 mm; Milieu Centraal states that a half-centimetre hole is sufficient. BOVAG recommends checking mesh in ventilation openings, and NKC advises removing food and crumbs. Rodent damage is often discovered only after winter storage; mice can damage insulation, cushions and wiring, leading to short circuits and fire risk. OHRA excludes pest damage from caravan insurance, and for campers coverage may be limited. One user reported about €2,000 in damage, but this is an individual case.

Italian police have ruled out arson as the cause of a large fire at the Bella Italia campsite near Lake Garda. The blaze is believed to have started from a candle in a static caravan. Four German firefighters who were on holiday at the campsite assisted in the response.

Tent brand Bardani has presented its first folding camper, the Summitcruiser, at the Kampeer & Caravan Jaarbeurs in Utrecht. The model sleeps 2 to 4 people and features a standing height of 2.30 m, a 3.10 m deep awning tent, a 2.40 m deep zip-off canopy, a 2.00 × 1.40 m bed, a standard kitchen unit, 220 g/m² All-Season fabric, darkened sleeping cabins and a braked AL-KO chassis with 13-inch wheels. The starting price is 12,899 euros; the Easy Pack System allows access to the luggage compartment without unfolding the camper. The world premiere runs until Sunday 4 October in hall 11 at the shared Cabanon and Bardani stand.

Marieke (40) and Simon Leijendekker (48) sold their house, cars and business to travel indefinitely with their two-year-old son Sep from Groningen to South Africa in a 12-square-metre Iveco camper. Preparation took nearly two years, including vaccinations, visas and insurance. The original route along Africa's west coast was changed due to malaria risk for the child; the family now travels via Greece and Iraq to Oman, where they plan to ship the vehicle to Kenya.

From 1 January 2026, the MRB rate for campers in the Netherlands doubled from a quarter to half the standard rate. 57.2% of owners now suspend registration more often, longer or for the first time.

Three premieres were unveiled at the Kampeer en Caravan Jaarbeurs. The semi-integrated Dethleffs Trend Active Plus T 7057 EBL measures 7.41 m long, 2.33 m wide and 3 m high, and comes with a 140 hp Fiat Ducato with automatic transmission, automatic air conditioning, a digital cockpit, a 150 Ah lithium leisure battery with a 45 Ah charge booster, a panoramic roof window and a garage accessible from both sides. The Adria Altea Silver Edition 492 PU is nearly 7 m long (including drawbar) and 2.30 m wide, has a kerb weight of 1,175 kg and is aimed at couples with a fixed double bed at the front and a large rear dinette; the 552 PK is about 7.60 m long and 2.30 m wide, has a kerb weight of 1,190 kg and offers six berths thanks to a fixed bed, bunk beds and a convertible seating area. Both caravans have a standard payload of up to 1,500 kg, and the 552 PK can be upgraded to 1,700 kg.

At the Kampeer en Caravan Jaarbeurs in Utrecht, camper vans based on the Renault Trafic with diesel engine and the electric Renault Trafic E-Tech Electric, already available for order, are on display. Exhibits include the Florida and Nevada by Buscamper op Maat on Volkswagen vans of 4.90 and 5.30 metres, the Wally-Van Classic and Air with slide-outs, the Ford Nugget in bright red, the Westfalia Kelsey on a 5.45-metre Ford Transit Custom with four seats and four berths, and Amigo Campers conversions of the Volkswagen Transporter, Ford Transit Custom and Mercedes Vito. Electric models include the Outbase Delta and Flow on the VW ID. Buzz, the Vantrack LC on the Kia PV5 Passenger (available in Base, Flex and Pop versions, on sale mid-next year) and the Ventje T7 with seven seatbelts and up to four berths.

Students from Eindhoven have unveiled a prototype motorhome called Stella Vita that runs entirely on solar energy. Its roof-mounted solar panels can be unfolded to cover up to 17.5 square meters, providing a range of up to 730 km in clear weather and about 600 km in cloudy conditions. A full recharge takes roughly two sunny days. The interior includes cooking facilities, a shower, and power outlets for a laptop and TV. The team planned a trip from Eindhoven to Andalusia but did not complete it due to the technical complexity of the route.

Ventje has unveiled the T7 camper based on the Volkswagen Transporter, with seven seats and two double beds. It will debut at Mobicar in Brussels from 8 to 11 October.

In the first half of 2026, 8,889 used campers were sold in the Netherlands, down from 9,667 a year earlier, a decline of about 8%. At the same time, supply on the second-hand market is increasing while demand has weakened, giving buyers more time to compare options. From 1 January 2026, the tax benefit for campers was reduced: instead of the quarter rate, the half rate of motor vehicle tax now applies, raising annual ownership costs.