As with all industries technology is always evolving and the technology in the leisure industry is no different. Who would’ve thought that we would get to the point of taking a holiday essentially in a house on wheels. benefiting from a fitted kitchen, bathroom, toilet, heating and the luxury of sitting back and watching TV.
Here we take a look at some green innovations we expect in the future and some future tech that is already with us.
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Solar panel awnings
Being able to go away for an extended time and be completely self-sufficient on electrical energy is the dream for us all and space for solar panels has always been an issue. We are starting to see early examples of awnings with a roof covered in solar panels which is a great solution to needing an electrical hook up.
As innovative as this is the weight for the amount of panels needed is making it prohibitively expensive and heavy to drive around with the extra weight. That said, solar technology is becoming lighter and more efficient every year so in the coming years this will be something we see become more popular.
Electric motorhomes will be coming
Electrification of cars on the road is not something new but with the more recent push towards green energy has meant a real push in electric vehicle technology to ease people’s fears on range anxiety, charging speeds and charger availability.
Electric vans are becoming more popular and availability is getting better. Motorhomes are based on a van chassis and cabins from manufacturers such as Ford and Peugeot and so we could see these arrive in the leisure industry in the future.
This would require an investment from touring and campsite owners as customers would expect to use the electrical hook up to charge their motorhome at the same time for convenience.
As pioneers in this evolving landscape, companies like Bailey Motorhomes are actively exploring options for creating electric motorhomes, opening new possibilities for environmentally conscious travelers and encouraging greener practices in the leisure industry.
Lighter, stronger and more thermally efficient bodyshells
The bodyshell of motorhomes have come a long way and it has always been a challenge to make them lighter without sacrificing the structural integrity and thermal efficiency. No one enjoys either baking when it’s hot or freezing when we get a cold snap outside which is always possible as it is the UK after all. Thermal efficiency is key to reducing our reliance on energy to heat or cool our motorhome.
Well the future has arrived and Alu-Tech is a prime example of this. Constructed from an extruded aluminium interlocking framework with composite plastic and GRP linings giving extra strength and lightness to the bodyshell. Less fixing points and wood also alleviates the chances of water ingress.
Baileys of Bristol incorporated this technology in their Autograph and Adamo range of motorhomes and the best part is that this unique technology comes at no cost or weight penalty.
Never empty the waste again
This would probably be the Holy Grail for all caravan and motorhome users and real science fiction, or is it.
There are companies out there investing in coming up with a solution by means of purifying your black and grey waste. The technology does exist but needs to be developed to a point where it is small and energy efficient enough to fit in a motorhome.
The waste water goes through a series of distillations and the water that comes out at the end of the process and be reused for running the toilet and the black waste can go through a process called Pyrolysis and heat create charcoal as a by-product which can be disposed of.
Final thoughts
I think it is fair to say that it is an exciting time in the leisure industry. Technology has helped make holidays away in a motorhome more relaxing and convenient and now the future is also looking a lot greener.
