Xiaomi enters the camper market with the SkyNomad brand · VanLife Weekly #28
Xiaomi launches the SkyNomad brand and enters the camper market. Plus new models at the Tokyo Camping Car Show and 80% of Turkey's caravan makers closing.
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Small town · Bavaria, Germany
VanSky index for Kolbermoor, Germany — 76 out of 100 (Comfortable). Decide in seconds: temperature, precipitation, wind and solar output. Data refreshed several times a day from real weather observations.
The main score is weekly (7-day average). The “Today” toggle shows the current day, and the region page compares cities “by area”.
Kolbermoor, Germany — VanSky 76 out of 100. Comfortable for a route. Ranked #1264 of 1775 cities in the country (as of 16 July 2026). Temperature 30°C, wind 5 km/h. Solar panels yield 2.9 kWh/day at 400 W — enough for full autonomy.
Cities with a close score — route alternatives
A weather comfort index for travel: a 0–100 score. Recalculated daily from live weather data — temperature, rainfall, wind and sun.
How it's calculated:
Data: Open-Meteo · Updated several times a day
Kolbermoor ranks 1652 of 1775 cities. Country average VanSky — 85.
Updated: 11.07.2026
Super E10
$2.35 /l
€2.06 · £1.76/l
127 of 133
pricier than 95% of countries
Super Plus 98
$2.43 /l
€2.13 · £1.82/l
86 of 92
pricier than 92% of countries
Diesel
$2.25 /l
€1.97 · £1.68/l
124 of 134
pricier than 92% of countries
Premium Diesel
$2.56 /l
€2.24 · £1.91/l
39 of 41
pricier than 93% of countries
LPG
$1.28 /l
€1.12 · £0.95/l
48 of 51
pricier than 92% of countries
A California woman chose glamping over traditional camping for a trip with her nine-year-old son to avoid stress. They stayed at The River Electric glamping site in Guerneville, sleeping in a canvas tent with two double beds, electricity, and access to a pool and restaurant. According to the author, glamping provided boutique-hotel comfort while allowing them to enjoy nature without the hassles of classic camping.
External sunshades for the windshield reduce interior temperature by up to 8 degrees Celsius compared to an unprotected vehicle, according to a 2021 ADAC test. Internal shades are less effective, cooling by only 4 degrees. A full vehicle cover can lower the temperature by up to 10 degrees.
NDR reporter Andi Gervelmeyer, a camping novice, took his first trip in a camper van to Emsland. He encountered issues: a mismatched water hose, trouble with the chemical toilet, and a poorly set awning. Fellow campers helped. The Hasetal campsite, with 118 pitches, was opened by the Schütte family on former farmland.
Volkswagen has upgraded its largest campers, the Grand California 600 and 680, offering optional LiFePO batteries and an off-grid package with integrated solar panels. Usable battery capacity rises by nearly 40% (from 46 Ah to 64 Ah), and lifespan is about five times that of a standard AGM battery. The off-grid package costs €1,720 for the 600 and €2,326 for the 680 in Germany, while the base price of the camper itself starts at over €100,000.
European manufacturer Forster has updated the A 699 DVB model, which can accommodate up to eight people with a length of under seven metres. The starting price is €58,900. The model features a redesigned overcab section, a revised interior and increased headroom of 2.04 metres. Standard equipment includes a 165 hp turbodiesel, automatic transmission, rear-view camera and Isofix mounts.
In Lippstadt, Germany, police stopped a 70-year-old driver who was driving a motorhome without a windshield or side windows, citing the heat. The vehicle was deemed unsafe, and the driver faces a fine.
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