Campervan, RV & Vanlife News
A motorhome owner has complained about the cost of parking at the new motorhome stopover in Skillinge, Simrishamn Municipality. In late August he emailed the municipality, calling the 410 kronor fee too expensive and noting that the site is still under construction.
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In Sweden, a motorhome got stuck under a viaduct on Västra Storgatan in Säffle, causing a complete traffic stop. The vehicle required recovery.
Auto Express and Caravan and Motorhome Club tested 42 new cars with caravans at Millbrook Proving Ground in the UK. The overall winner was the Skoda Superb Estate with a 193 hp 2.0-litre diesel, all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The BMW iX3 was the best electric car and won the heaviest caravan class over two tonnes. The Volvo XC60 T6 was the best plug-in hybrid, the Volvo XC90 T8 the best large family car, and the Volvo XC40 won the 1,400–1,500 kg caravan class. The Volkswagen Touareg won the 1,800–1,900 kg class. Tests assessed stability with a trailer, acceleration, braking, hill starts, low-speed manoeuvring, visibility and load space.
United States
On the afternoon of 19 September 2026, a car towing a caravan went off the road into a ditch in Stugun, Ragunda Municipality. The alarm was raised at 16:42. Rescue services and a tow truck were called to the scene; the vehicle required recovery.
United States
At 22:54, emergency services were alerted to a fire in a caravan at a parking lot near Building C on the university campus in Linköping. The fire spread to a tree, and a nearby car was also damaged. Firefighters extinguished the blaze.
A campsite in the Pite River Valley has been declared bankrupt immediately after the summer season. The owner faces charges of two counts of gross accounting fraud and one count of standard accounting fraud. According to the Economic Crime Authority, the campsite handled approximately 4.4 million kronor in payments and 4.5 million kronor in disbursements without proper accounting. Prosecutor Niklas Jeppsson stated the crime should be considered gross due to the significant amounts involved. The Tax Agency maintains its bankruptcy petition despite the owner's opposition, who claims the campsite is for sale and debts can be repaid. The campsite's request to postpone debt payments was rejected; according to the Tax Agency, it has no seizable assets. The Economic Crime Authority seeks a business ban and a 500,000 kronor corporate fine. The owner denies the charges.
Parking attendants have been deployed in some nature reserves in Sweden due to a sharp rise in motorhomes. There is a risk of conflicts, and statistics are described as a "black hole".
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On Thursday afternoon, a motorhome and a truck collided on the E6 near Ängelholm. Northbound traffic is closed, and the motorhome overturned onto its side.
Between January and August 2026, 4,834 new motorhomes were registered in Sweden, up from 3,215 in the same period of 2025 and 2,153 in 2024. From January to July 2026, Swedish campsites recorded 12.6 million overnight stays, a 3.4% increase year-on-year. Lars Bergholm, CEO of Bergholm Fritidsfordon, called on municipalities to develop stopover sites with basic services to attract transit travellers.
According to the HRF 2026 survey of motorhome and caravan owners, 49% of caravan owners and 46% of motorhome owners named comfort as the most important factor when considering their next purchase. When choosing up to five specific aspects, 86% of caravan owners and 85% of motorhome owners included layout among the most important, while price was cited by 72% and 66% respectively. The sleeping area was the top priority for 70% of caravan owners and 65% of motorhome owners, and load space was important for 49% of motorhome owners versus 28% of caravan owners.
United States
Elon Musk said on the All-In podcast that he is living in an Airstream travel trailer parked at the site of xAI's new Macrohard data center. He said the trailer is located a few meters from his workplace. Musk has previously lived in a 37-square-meter prefab home near SpaceX's Starbase in Texas and slept at Twitter's San Francisco office. Airstream has produced its riveted aluminum trailers since 1931; in 1939 NASA used a modified Airstream to quarantine Apollo 11 astronauts.
The author continues a series of reports on a motorhome journey from Venice through the Dolomites to Cortina d’Ampezzo. En route, he overnighted among prosecco vineyards in Valdobbiadene. Cortina, which co-hosted the 2026 Winter Olympics with Milan, features an 18th-century Basilica of Saints Philip and James and a tall bell tower. The town is popular with cyclists.
Sweden's Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) reminds drivers that those who obtained a B category licence before 1 July 1996 may drive a heavy motorhome (over 3500 kg) without a truck licence. This exemption, known as the 'grandfather rule', is permanently lost if the licence is revoked or becomes invalid for any reason, including medical, even for one month. After revocation, driving a motorhome up to 7500 kg requires a C1 category, and heavier ones require a C. Similarly, older rights for extra heavy trailers (BE taken before 19 January 2013) and four-wheeled motorcycles (A or A1 before the same date) are lost. A fine or warning without revocation does not remove the exemption. The date on the back of the licence does not prove the old privileges remain — they can be checked in the road traffic register.
Stefan Janeld, editor-in-chief of Allt om husbilen, told SVT that the future of motorhomes lies in small, manoeuvrable vehicles. He said the trend is moving towards remote camping, finding one's own spots and getting further into villages. The forecast points to major changes in the motorhome segment in the coming years.
At around 7 a.m. on Saturday, a motorhome owner in southern Visby discovered that a window of her vehicle was open. According to police on Gotland, two males had broken the window and gone to sleep inside. When police arrived, only a 16-year-old remained at the scene. A report was filed for unlawful intrusion and criminal damage; the second suspect was still unidentified on Saturday morning.
VanSky · index
United States
A seminar at the Elmia Husvagn Husbil trade fair in Jönköping addressed how motorhome and caravan tourism can boost local consumption. According to HRF's 2026 owner study, the average family spends 1,087 Swedish kronor per overnight stay, including camping fees, restaurants, retail and fuel. HRF plans to develop a destination checklist and launch three pilot projects, with results to be evaluated after the summer 2027 season.
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The Elmia Husvagn Husbil 2026 show ran 9–13 September in Jönköping and drew 33,500 visitors. According to HRF, the market is stronger than a few years ago; exhibitors reported good sales.
Johan Lindell, 40, succeeded his father Johnny as CEO of Vinslövs fritidscenter on 1 July. The succession had long been planned: 11 years ago, his father called Johan, who had completed military service, studied to become a business economist and worked for five years at Länsförsäkringar in Kristianstad. The company sells motorhomes and caravans.
Bergholm Försäljning AB has appointed Tenhult Fritidscenter as a new Knaus dealer. The cooperation starts immediately and covers both motorhomes and caravans. Tenhult Fritidscenter is located in Jönköping Municipality and has modern premises with exhibition space and a full workshop. Sales begin at the Elmia Husvagn Husbil show, currently taking place in Jönköping.
The autumn season offers opportunities to use caravans and motorhomes and to purchase them. According to Dags Husvagnscenter, autumn clearance means around 20–25 vehicles are sold with autumn offers, while new 2027 models arrive. Among the new models is the Knaus Nordwind, a new caravan series adapted for Nordic conditions. On 19–20 September the centre holds a weekend with campaigns and open viewings. Autumn also concludes the company's 40th anniversary.