Easy Caravanning’s European network of distribution partners continues to grow. We are very proud to announce that we are now also represented in Iceland through our new business partner Highland Trucks, also manufacturer of the FIS Camper concept developed especially for Iceland.

But also in Germany, our dealer network has been further expanded with two new enthusiastic partners focusing entirely on the growing tent trailer market: Falt Camp Center Niederzissen and MBS Caravan in Büren.

Highland Trucks & FIS Camper, Iceland

Highland Trucks – FIS Camper is located on the east side of Reykjavik, The company specialises in adapting off-road vehicles for the real rough work which is no luxury in winter and when going off-road in Iceland. They also manufacture a special camper body for pick-up trucks that can withstand every conceivable weather condition. At the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, we were introduced to Highland Trucks who were immediately impressed by the build quality and concept of the TakeOff. They have since embraced the product as an addition to their camping programme. After all, Iceland is very easy and comfortable to explore during the summer period via the ring road No 1 that takes you past lots of breathtaking sights, highly recommended! Below is a small impression:

Camping tip: Exploring Iceland in summer with the TakeOff via Ring Road No. 1

Wohnmobile Von Campern für Camper Höchstadt an der Aisch – Germany

North of Nuremberg in northern Bavaria lies the Franconia region. Höchstadt an der Aisch is located in this well-known wine-growing region. This is the home of the VCFC GmbH company, run by the Renger family and Kai Weber. They are all passionate campers, hence the name VCFC (Of campers for campers). Customer satisfaction is paramount.The company focuses on the rental, sale, installation of technical accessories, maintenance and repair of motorhomes. The TakeOff fits very well with the type of camper VCFC is aiming at: being mobile and flexible, quick to get up and quick to leave again to travel around without hassle and with maximum freedom. See also https://www.vcfc-wohnmobile.de.

TakeOff Xcite 2023 im Ausstellungsraum VCFC Höchstadt a.d. Aisch

Falt Camp Centre Niederzissen – Germany

Far right FCC’s Stefanie Koch, far left Maarten de Roos (EC) View of part of FCC Niederzissen’s completely new showroom

Located near Koblenz and close to Bonn and Cologne, Stefanie Koch’s Falt Camp Center Niederzissen will open its doors at the beginning of April. Our cooperation at the new location was recently concluded. In addition to Easy Caravanning, Falt Camp Center Niederzissen will also become a dealer of our sister brand Holtkamper, among others. The show models are currently being installed in the spacious showroom of about 500 m2. See also https://faltcampcenter.de.

MBS Caravan Büren – Germany

Matthias Schäfer of MBS Caravan Büren

Near Bielefeld, Paderborn and Dortmund lies the German town of Büren, where MBS Caravan has recently set up its showroom. Founder-owner Matthias Schäfer has camping in his blood, already in the early 70s Matthias was travelling with his parents by tent. In the 1980s, his parents’ tent gave way to a folding trailer and Matthias’ love for this form of camping has always remained with him. He is interested in new models and simple folding mechanisms. Now he has taken the step of making his hobby his job too, so he can advise campers to the best of his ability. See also https://mbs-caravan.de. 

Want to experience the TakeOff for yourself at your nearest dealer? Then take a look at  https://www.easycaravanning.com/en/dealermap/

With the product configurator on our website you can put together your own TakeOff in no time:
https://www.easycaravanning.com/en/editions/

Handy in preparation for a showroom visit. Our dealers can give you detailed advice on the Active-Sport-Xcite, train-seat and semi-fixed-bed layouts and further options. Experience for yourself the convenience of the lightning-fast opening and closing, Ready for TakeOff. Would you like to come and take a look at the factory? You are welcome there too. Then make an appointment via https://www.easycaravanning.com/afspraak-maken-basecamp/

Highlighted: electric vehicles are gaining ground in Europe, so is the ‘next generation of caravanning’

With the TakeOff, camping with an electric car is no longer a utopia. Due to its low net weight, ultra-low drag coefficient, and negligible extra frontal area of the combination with the TakeOff, rolling resistance, slope resistance, acceleration resistance and, last but not least, air resistance remain significantly lower than for a combination with a traditional touring caravan. We list the growth of electric cars and charging station infrastructure in a number of European countries.

Another sharp increase in 2022, the Netherlands and Scandinavia leading the way in EV growth and charging stations

In the Netherlands, the country of origin of the TakeOff, the electric car is gaining ground. More than 316,000 EVs were on the road by 30 November last year, reports the Netherlands Enterprise Agency RVO. Some 21 per cent of new cars sold in the Netherlands last year, counting through November, were fully electric. The Netherlands is seen internationally as a major player in electric mobility. The country was one of 4 European countries in 2020 where at least 25 per cent of new cars sold were electric. The other 3 countries were Norway, Iceland and Sweden. And in terms of charging infrastructure, no other country has the same density of charging points as the Netherlands. Development is also fast in other European countries:

Norway

In Norway, almost 80 per cent of newly sold cars are now electric. This is according to data released by the Norwegian automotive trade association OFV. Norwegians bought over 174,000 cars last year. Of these, over 138,000 were fully electric. Tesla was the most popular car brand among Norwegian motorists. The US company sold over 21,000 vehicles. This was followed by Volkswagen, BMW and Toyota. According to the OFV, the Tesla Model Y was the most popular car, followed by Volkswagen’s ID4 and the Skoda Enyaq. The share of electric cars rose considerably last year: by 2021, 65 per cent of new cars sold were electric models, up from 80 per cent last year. Ten years ago, only 2.9 per cent of new cars sold were electric.

Norway wants no new cars sold to run on fossil fuels by 2025, even though the country itself is a major producer of oil and gas. The Norwegian government is encouraging this with generous tax breaks on electric cars; these cost the Norwegian treasury some €4 billion in tax revenue last year, converted to euros.

Germany

Germany is putting billions into expanding its electric car charging network in the coming years. 6.3 billion euros will be invested over the next three years. The number of electric vehicles is growing by almost 25 per cent year-on-year in the country. Currently, 14.6 per cent of all newly registered cars in Germany are electric. Germany expects an exponential increase in electric vehicles in the coming years and wants to make its infrastructure ready for this as soon as possible. According to the ministry, there are about 70,000 charging points in the country, of which 11,000 are fast chargers. This is not enough to meet the current need. The German government’s goal is to have 1 million public charging points available by 2030.

Netherlands

The number of electric cars on Dutch roads is growing rapidly. This is shown by figures from BOVAG, RAI Vereniging and data centre RDC. As of 1 September, more than 300,000 electric passenger cars were registered in the Netherlands for the first time. Compared to more than 2.5 years ago, the number has almost tripled. On 1 September 2022, the Dutch fleet numbered almost 9.2 million passenger cars. 79 per cent of these have a petrol engine, or 7.2 million units. Earlier this year, the number of diesels already dipped below the 1 million mark for the first time since the beginning of this century. On 1 September, it was just under 950,000. This corresponds to over 10 per cent share. The total number of electric passenger cars stood at 303,348 at the beginning of that month. On 1 January 2020, it was less than 108,000. In addition, there are now almost 600,000 cars with a so-called hybrid drive, plug-in or otherwise. That is almost twice as many as more than 2.5 years ago.
More and more new brands and electric models are entering the European market. This can also be seen in the composition of the fleet and the result of large-scale investments in zero emission passenger cars. Another key driver of exponential Dutch growth is the rapid development of charging station infrastructure; the country is a leader in this field.

European regulations

From 2035, no new diesel or petrol vehicles may be sold in the EU. On Wednesday 8 June, the European Parliament approved the proposal to set 2035 as the deadline for the car industry: by that year, manufacturers will no longer be allowed to sell new passenger cars or light commercial vehicles with combustion engines. According to the Commission, passenger cars and vans account for roughly 12 and 2.5 per cent of the EU’s total CO2 emissions, respectively. By banning the sale of combustion engines from 2035, the EU hopes to take a big step towards full climate neutrality by 2050.
Incidentally, it is not the case that only electric cars will be allowed to be sold from 2035: fuel cell vehicles will also get a free pass. These run on hydrogen and Europe wants to invest massively in these too.

TakeOff: ready for now and the future

In a combination with a traditional touring caravan, the total frontal area of car and caravan can easily double (orange area indicates increase in frontal area). The TakeOff – depending on the type of tow vehicle – falls almost entirely in the ‘shadow’ of the tow vehicle’s frontal surface, thus keeping the additional drag to a minimum. An ANWB road test over a 550 km route recently showed that the energy consumption of a fully electric car with a TakeOff is only 25.7% more compared to the same car solo. With a traditional caravan, the additional consumption can easily be 1.5 to 2 times as much.

There is already a TakeOff from €17,995, with our product configurator you can easily put together your own TakeOff at home: https://www.easycaravanning.com/en/editions/.

‘The next generation of caravanning’ can be viewed at one of our dealers, for dealer addresses (and availability of show models) visit https://www.easycaravanning.com/en/dealermap/.

Source: Bovag, RVO, LeasePlan, NOS, Global EV Outlook 2021, IEA

The market launch of the TakeOff model year 2023 at the Caravan Salon Düsseldorf was a great success. From Friday, August 26 to Sunday, September 4, our new 2023 models were presented for the first time in Düsseldorf. The various changes to the exterior and interior were received with great enthusiasm by many of the 235,000 camping fans visiting the fair from many different countries. We do not have much time to enjoy this because we are already preparing for the Camping & Caravan Exhibition Utrecht, which will be held from October 5 to 9. The TakeOff 2023 will shine there in all three versions Active, Sport and Xcite (and both train seat and semi-fixed bed layouts). Together with sister brand Holtkamper, we will be on a large exhibition stand in Hall 10 “premium tent trailers, made in Holland.

The TakeOff 2023 has a new contemporary interior with a stylish ‘Driftwood’ decor and matching upholstery fabrics in no less than 6 different designs which can be visualised very easily with the handy and renewed product configurator on our website. In no time at all you can decide which interior design suits you best: Granito, Azzurro, Spiaggia, Taupe, Vulcano or surely Oliva?

The exterior has got new striping which makes the 3 versions Active, Sport and Xcite even more recognizable. The Xcite 2023 has new chrome-black polished 15-inch alloy wheels. All versions now have standard manoeuvring handles at the rear, at the front the manoeuvring handle is on the nose wheel as part of the (standard) Al-Ko chassis. On top-of-the-line Xcite model, standard equipment includes a convenient automatic night light, front and rear organizers, and a compressor cooler, amongst others. Using the product configurator, you can of course select these items as factory options on the other product versions Active and Sport as well.

Are you coming to the Camping & Caravan Exhibition in Utrecht? We welcome you in hall 10, stand number D 040. You can order tickets easily via the link below:

https://www.kampeerencaravanjaarbeurs.nl/bezoeker/registreren/

The TakeOff 2023 showroom models will be delivered to our dealers in the coming months. Always check in advance whether the dealer in question already has the new showroom models. Dealer details can be found at

https://www.easycaravanning.com/en/dealers/

Introduction of latest TakeOff 2023 models at Caravan Salon Düsseldorf.  

From Friday 26 August (trade day) to Sunday 4 September, the world’s largest mobile leisure fair will again be held in Düsseldorf, Germany. Easy Caravanning will be there, together with sister brand Holtkamper. 

Our innovative cross-over camping concept undergoes some interesting changes for model year 2023. The TakeOff will have a new contemporary interior with a stylish wood decor and matching upholstery fabrics in no less than 6 different designs that can be easily visualised on the website. In the blink of an eye, you decide which interior ambience suits you best: is it Granito, Azzurro, Spiaggia, Taupe, Vulcano or Oliva?

The exterior got new striping that makes the three versions Active, Sport and Xcite even more recognisable. The Xcite 2023 has been given new chrome-black polished 15-inch alloy wheels. All versions now have standard manoeuvring handles at the rear, at the front the manoeuvring handle is on the nose wheel as part of the (standard) Al-Ko chassis. For the top model Xcite a convenient automatic night light, front and rear organisers and a compressor cool box have been added to the standard equipment. With the product configurator these items can also be selected as factory options on the other product versions Active and Sport.

You can find us in hall 3, stand number E70. Perhaps we will see you there!

ANWB road test proves sublime driving characteristics TakeOff:
mileage of EVs largely retained

Recently, ANWB automotive journalists Frank Buma (formerly Autovisie journalist and Dutch member of the jury for the Car of the Year election) and Gert Wisse (editor in chief of ANWB Autokampioen) drove from the Hazeldonk in The Netherlands to Bussang in France.

Final destination was the Domaine de Champé campsite in the Vosges.
The aim of this EV Challenge over a distance of about 550 km was to get a better idea of the feasibility of a car holiday with a fully electric car, with and without a tent trailer. Two identical Hyundai Ioniq 5s were used for the test, with one of the cars driving solo and the other hooked up to a TakeOff.

In the video made by the funny ANWB-duo Frank and Gert of this test, the TakeOff has a glorious supporting role. The results of this test are as follows:

• a camping holiday with a full electric vehicle in combination with a tent trailer has long since ceased to be a utopian idea;
• due to the unique aerodynamic properties of the TakeOff and its low weight, the additional fuel consumption¹ is only 25 – 30%. This has been established in various practical tests by Easy Caravanning. In the ANWB roadtrip the additional energy consumption was 25,7%. This means that a large part of the mileage is retained with the car unoccupied;
• travelling and manoeuvring with the TakeOff is child’s play due to its small size and weight;
• in no time at all you are ready for a comfortable overnight stay in the king-size bed of no less than 2.05 x 1.60 metres.

(1) Additional consumption in practice depends, among other things, on weather and route conditions, driving behaviour, load and tyre pressure. No rights may be derived from this test. The test video of the playful duo Frank and Gert can be found on the ANWB YouTube channel.

There is already a TakeOff from € 16.495,-. Look at our website for the different versions and personalisation options. Check the versions of the TakeOff here

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 was recently chosen by the ANWB Kampeerkampioen (edition 7, July 2022) as the Towing Car of the Year 2022. https://www.anwb.nl/auto/trekauto/trekauto-van-het-jaar-2022

The Royal Dutch Touring Club ANWB is an association that uses a unique mix of influencing and service activities to promote the interests of its members in the areas of mobility, holidays and leisure. In that work, the ANWB wants to contribute to a sustainable development of society.

Campfire Group opens new manufacturing location ‘Basecamp Emmen’, home base of Holtkamper and Easy Caravanning tent trailers.

On Wednesday the 6th of April Eric van Oosterhout, Mayor of Emmen, officially opened the new ‘Tent Trailer Center Basecamp’ in front of staff and press. At the new location at Paganelstraat 12 in Emmen, almost all activities of Holtkamper and Easy Caravanning are centralised. On the ground floor, the production of the innovative cross-over camping concept ‘TakeOff’ takes place. Furthermore, here you will find all supporting disciplines such as marketing, sales, service, purchasing and the central warehouse, engineering, administration and the tent workshop. All models of both ‘made in the Netherlands’ premium trailer tent brands can be admired by appointment in the spacious showroom on the 1st floor, from where the assembly process can be observed.

“The centralization of our activities in Northern Netherlands is the next step in rolling out our growth strategy at home and abroad,” said Maarten de Roos, managing director of the Campfire Group. “With start-up Easy Caravanning now in the scale-up phase, it was a logical next step to bring together the 3 locations for the assembly of our 2 own brands and the showroom and service workshop. This way, we can realise maximum synergy in both front and back-office activities. The Holtkamper assembly line (in close co-operation with manufacturing partner Technologies Added) is located within walking distance at the Kapitein Grantstraat”.

Niels Gerrits, Manager Operations continues: “The popularity for camping has further increased over the past few years – partly due to the influence of the corona pandemic. Light compact camping concepts are gaining popularity as today’s tow vehicles are more and more equipped with smaller energy efficient engines and/or fully electric drive trains. As Campfire Group, we have seen our growth further increase with the introduction of our 2nd own brand Easy Caravanning at the end of 2019. Several new projects are also in the pipeline for the coming years to further strengthen this strategy. It was therefore time, also from a capacity point of view, to move to a new larger location”.

The new factory in Emmen houses a production line with 8 workstations with separate cells for subassembly, prototype construction and woodworking, among other things. After entering the factory, visitors walk through a corridor to the showroom. In the corridor, a small “history unfold” exhibition looks back at the development of both trailer tent brands. In a time of increasing consolidation of manufacturers in the camping industry by European or global groups of manufacturers, with this new factory, the Netherlands has gained a unique independent manufacturer of top-of-the-range tent trailers.

A whole new 2022 camping season will start soon! We regret that this is the third year in a row that the travel ambitions of adventurous campers will be somewhat limited by the corona measures. But let’s focus on what is possible. Camping is one of the most corona proof way of leisure. It is no coincidence that the popularity of camping has increased over the past two years. In this first news item of the year, we look forward with you.

New factory

At the moment, we are putting the finishing touches to our new, larger assembly plant of no less than 4,500 m2 in Emmen – the Netherlands, which is built for further growth. In addition to a new production line and warehouse, we also have a showroom on the 1st floor, where customers can come and take a look at the products of Easy Caravanning and our sister brand Holtkamper by appointment.

Delivery times and temporary winter discount

Due to the increased demand in combination with the longer delivery times of our suppliers (partly due to the shortage of corona), the delivery time for current TakeOff orders is now 2nd half of May. Unfortunately, we are still confronted with price increases of materials and components on a weekly basis. This is the result of the globally disrupted supply chain and tightness in the market. We will therefore be forced to increase our consumer prices from the 1^st of March. In the second half of February, we will start delivering the new 2022 show models to our dealers. At the beginning of March, the TakeOff 2022 with the innovative semi fixed-bed layout (which we reported about last time) will be on display there.

Are you considering the purchase of the TakeOff 2022 and would you like to go on holiday this summer? Do not hesitate and visit the dealer and take advantage of the old 2021 prices that are valid until March! Your price advantage in the month of February can quickly amount to more than € 1.000,-! Quickly configure your own TakeOff at www.easycaravanning.com.

At the recent Camping & Caravan Trade Fair in Utrecht, the new semi-fixed bed layout of the TakeOff 2022 – which was introduced there as a first – was received like a bomb. Also at the Suisse Caravan Salon in Bern last week, the reactions were overwhelming. Many camping couples see the lightning-fast changeover from day to night mode and vice versa as an additional enhancement of their camping comfort and, last but not least, of their sleeping comfort.

With the new semi-fixed-bed floor plan, a seating area can be quickly created in the daytime to enjoy breakfast together if it is still a bit chilly outside, for example. Just pull the bed back a little on the comfortable slatted frame, lift the new clever table, put the back cushions against the wall and … done! Under the bed you have a huge luggage compartment that is always easily accessible thanks to the convenient lifting construction with gas springs.

If you want, you can make it easier to get out of bed at night by not closing the aisle completely. This also makes the portable toilet accessible in no time at all via the door in the bench cabinet: useful at night or when travelling. As with the TakeOff with its so-called “train seat”, the dimensions of the king-size bed of 2.05 x 1.60 m are unique in the camping world. Sleeping without worries like at home – that’s what we are all about. In spring, the TakeOff with semi-fixed-bed will be on display at the dealers. But be quick, because despite the fact that we will be further expanding our production capacity (we will be moving again to a larger factory at the end of this year), the order book for the coming season is growing steadily. The TakeOff with semi-fixed-bed is available for an additional price of only € 495. There is already a TakeOff from € 15.595,-. Take a look at our product configurator or visit one of our dealers. Are you ready for TakeOff

The TakeOff from Easy Caravanning will be present at Europe’s biggest camping fair the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf (from 28 August to 5 September) on a joint stand with sister brand Holtkamper. In Hall 3, which has been newly added to the trade fair, the exhibitors will focus specifically on the themes of Travel & Nature and Equipment & Outdoor. “In this environment we feel like a fish in water”, says Maarten de Roos, managing director of the Dutch Campfire Group.  

De Roos continues: “We can hardly wait for the fair to start now that it is allowed – under the applicable measures. Our products distinguish themselves from campers and caravans by the ultimate feeling of freedom. An adventurous way of camping that has everything. Waking up with the smell of tent canvas, but with the comfort of a compact caravan.  The TakeOff is light and aerodynamic, and can therefore easily be towed by compact as well as hybrid and fully electric cars while maintaining sufficient range. The next generation of caravanning”.

“We are convinced that at the current rate of climate change, electrification of the vehicle fleet will take off in the coming years. For example, as of 2025, only fully electric new cars may be sold in Norway, so it is logical that there is a lot of interest in our products from this country. Just as passenger cars will rapidly become more compact, efficient and clean, the camping industry will have to respond to this. Weights, dimensions and/or emissions of mobile recreational vehicles will have to follow the trend.

The European distribution of the TakeOff is growing steadily. After market introduction in the Netherlands, Belgium, England, Norway, Germany, Switzerland and Croatia, further expansion of the dealer network in Scandinavia and Southern Europe is underway. “Winning two first places at the European Innovation Award 2021 has certainly contributed to this success,” adds De Roos.

See also our 👉 videos. Easy Caravanning’s TakeOff is a crossover between a trailer tent and a touring caravan and can be set up and folded down in less than 30 seconds. This makes it an ideal camping vehicle for people who like to be on the road quickly or just want to get away for the weekend. It can be admired at the Caravan Salon Düsseldorf on stand number 3E 60-01/02.

Last week we showed you how the assembly of the TakeOff takes place. Besides this ‘How it’s made’ video, we also made a ‘How it works’ video!

Watch here and see how easy it is to drive the TakeOff in combination with the fully electric Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge. Because of its low weight and air resistance, the additional consumption in practice (depending on the driving style) is often limited to only 25-30%. It is reassuring to know that the range of your combination with a fully electric car is still sufficient to go on holiday without worries.

👉 Watch the video 📽

Would you like to take your own TakeOff on the road soon? Then visit one of our dealers and be surprised by the ease of set-up of our crossover camping concept. For dealer addresses and opening hours, please visit the the dealerpage. There is already a TakeOff from € 14.295,-. Are you ready for TakeOff? Have a look at our new 28 page full colour online brochure.