Global campervan boom: from budget DIY to luxury buys and business ventures

Almería is putting up physical barriers to keep motorhomers off its former fairground — while Turkey simply evicts them from the beach. Lightship is quadrupling its electric-caravan factory in Colorado, even as 50% of Italian motorhome renters turn out to be under 35. Plus 800 kg of hashish in a motorhome at the Spanish border, Anker's 800 W charger running off the alternator, and Carstay as the mobile HQ of a Tokyo festival — all in this issue.

Spain introduced new road sign S-128 and banned camper vans from parking near beaches. Germany responded with a 3.82-metre electric camper van — fits anywhere, furniture not included. JAL now rents out motorhomes from Narita with miles earned per rental. Storm Ali blowing a traveller's caravan off an Irish cliff, and the Outbound demo for PS5 — all in this issue.

ARI Motors released a camper van the size of a regular van — and it's now Germany's smallest production electric camper at €30,000. JAL decided its passengers hadn't traveled enough and offered a sequel: a motorhome pickup straight from Narita. The lawsuit against Stellantis over "cheat" diesel software, a yellow DHL van in the hands of a retiree, and 413 million campsite overnight stays across Europe — all in this issue.

Spain set a motorhome registration record — and immediately tightened the rules. On Mallorca, 150 caravans took over a sports complex car park because renting a flat costs more. Solar Butterfly returned from a solar-powered trip around the world, and Bryansk promises a camper for 3.9 million roubles — in this issue.

Demand for motorhome rentals in Malaysia has surged ahead of the Aidilfitri holiday. Rental prices range from 500 to 2000 Malaysian ringgit per day, depending on the vehicle type. The highest number of bookings came from customers traveling to Kelantan and Johor.

Spain tightened inspections for camper vans — meanwhile in Torrox, 50 motorhomes occupied a riverbed. Italians 3D-printed a motorhome from plastic in four days, Hyundai unveiled an 800-volt electric camper, and 34 million Americans are hitting the road. Demolitions in Turkey, bans in Scotland, and a woman who drove along the Baltic in an electric Smart — all in this issue.