Campervan, RV & Vanlife News
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles presented its updated California range, including the fully electric ID. Buzz with a Good Night package, at a pre-IAA event in Berlin. The company claims to be the only European manufacturer that builds its entire motorhome family in-house. The Caddy California is available with 122 hp TDI or 116 hp TSI engines and a seven-speed DSG, featuring a 1.98×1.07 m bed. The ID. Buzz with the Good Night package includes a 2.03×1.2 m bed, Vehicle-to-Load function up to 2,000 W, and an Overnight mode that maintains climate control for up to 48 hours. The California model received a plug-in hybrid eHybrid 4MOTION with 180 kW (245 hp) and a 19.7 kWh battery, plus an inflatable kitchen and inflatable bed. The Grand California based on the Crafter is offered in 600 and 680 versions with a 163 hp TDI engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Romania
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In Gura Vadului on DJ102R, the first motorhome park in the Dealu Mare area has opened. The initiative is private and parking is currently free.
Romania
2
V.S. Domeniile Dealu Mare has opened the first caravan park in Gura Vadului on DJ 102R. At this stage, parking is free; the project is planned for further development.
The Hajoș family from Cluj arrived in Beijing by motorhome with three children and a dog. Foreigners need a five-day permit, unavailable online, only at certain police stations.
United States
A camper overturned at kilometre 91 of the A2 Bucharest–Constanța highway towards Bucharest. No injuries, only material damage. Traffic is restricted.
Erling Haaland purchased an Airstream caravan in collaboration with Supreme for £67,000 (€78,000). He announced the purchase in his YouTube video.
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United States
The motorhome site at Solimare in Moers is often fully booked. To meet more requests, Enni is redeveloping the area and has revealed initial details. The site currently accommodates eleven motorhomes; after the conversion, capacity will increase significantly.
Romanian actress Dana Rogoz is staying in a motorhome with her husband and two children. The vehicle features two beds and a dining area. The report is illustrative and provides no further technical or commercial details.
In the Sa Joveria area near Can Misses hospital in Ibiza, an informal settlement of motorhomes and tents has formed, where local workers live because they cannot afford housing. The average price of housing in the Balearic Islands exceeds 4,000 euros per square meter, and rents are high and scarce due to tourist demand. The settlement was evicted in 2023, but by 2026 more than 100 people had returned, and authorities intervened again in April. Among the residents are single mothers, cleaners, and pensioners; electrician Gabriel, 50, lives in a truck because renting an apartment is impossible.
The article compares owning a motorhome to renting one, noting that renting eliminates maintenance, insurance, and tax costs. Rental motorhomes are typically newer and inspected before each rental, while buying is only justified for full-time living.
United States
German company First Camper, based near Hildesheim, has introduced a range of mini caravans with a gross weight of up to 750 kg, towable with a standard B-class driving license. The lineup includes six models, from the tiny Nano Camper to the 4.61-meter Medi Camper. All models can be rented before purchase and are also available as empty shells for self-conversion. Prices start at 4,899 euros for an empty trailer and reach approximately 15,000 euros for a fully equipped Medi Camper.
Romanian vloggers Gabriela Dinu and Ștefan Enache, known online as 'Rătăciți prin lume', converted a Volkswagen T5.1 van into a mobile home. They replaced the ceiling, repainted the furniture from cream to light green, installed acoustic panels, and added a pull-out drawer under the sofa. The work took less than a week. The couple plans to travel around Romania.
Video blogger Gigi Cristea sold his motorhome and moved with his family to Ireland. The 1999 motorhome with about 175,000 km was sold for 8,600 euros after several price reductions. The family spent 481 nights in the motorhome. In Ireland, they are temporarily staying in a room at acquaintances' place and plan to find their own housing.
Romanian actress Ada Dumitru shared a video of her grandmother giving a tour of the caravan they are traveling in. The grandmother shows the kitchen, fridge, air conditioning, and solar panels, and mentions that she is driving the caravan. The video went viral, with users complimenting the grandmother.
At the Düsseldorf trade fair, motorhomes range from a few thousand euros to over two million. Social media drives demand, especially among young families. A budget option is roof tents starting at 2,000 euros.
Volkswagen has unveiled the ID. California Cruise, the first fully electric version of its California camper, based on the ID. Buzz. The new model offers sleeping space for two, a Vehicle-to-Load function with up to 3.6 kW of power, and a climate control system that can maintain a comfortable temperature for up to 48 hours. The company says this is just the beginning, with the electric lineup set to expand by 2028. The full California range will be presented at CARAVAN SALON 2026 in Düsseldorf.
Dirtbox has introduced the EV Pass-Through Canopy Camper for the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV, priced at $12,999. With the Midgate open, it creates a continuous living space of nearly 3.35 meters, merging the cabin and cargo bed. The upper level remains a separate sleeping area. The module sits on an aluminum frame and includes a memory foam mattress, insulated roof, ventilation, LED lighting, and USB-A, USB-C, and 12V outlets. The manufacturer has not disclosed the weight of the module, which is critical for an electric pickup, as every kilogram reduces payload and range.
Madalina, 35, from Piscu commune, and her husband Madalin from Focsani, who repatriated to Romania in 2017 but left again for Italy after three months, are now traveling the US in a motorhome with their two children. They saved 60,000 euros to buy and renovate a house in Italy but instead decided to change their lifestyle. The couple runs the blog 'Madalinii – Calatorind pe roti' on YouTube and TikTok, where they recently experienced panic due to gunshots heard near their motorhome in Texas.
Franc Molinos, a 38-year-old former businessman from Spain, has lived in a converted van with his two dogs since 2016. He says his monthly expenses are around 470 euros, covering fuel, food, vehicle maintenance, and internet. Molinos earns income by consulting on van conversions, creating content on social media, writing books, and producing a podcast about van life.
China
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A family from Cluj-Napoca (two adults, three children and a dog) has driven about 20,000 km in a motorhome with Romanian plates to China. They plan to continue to Southeast Asia.