Is it my imagination or .........

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  • obbernockle
    obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
    500 Comments
    edited September 2016 #32

    Just done a quick bit of research. Back in the early sixties the Ford Zephyr, a typical towcar of the time, weighed 1200Kg and had a 68BHP engine. Who knows what noseweights and towing ratios were back then.

    Write your comments here...and the Sprite Major was a ton, loaded. This was a 16ft (slightly under 5M) internal length, and was a "large heavy caravan".

  • redface
    redface Forum Participant Posts: 1,701
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2016 #33

    No doubt our illustrious club will be able to keep up with these changes and still give 'matching' advice.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,582 ✭
    1000 Comments 250 Likes Photogenic
    edited September 2016 #34

    I did see an article which suggests Knaus have a completely new construction method coming up which could bring the caravans weight down to 750 kg. If they can achieve that then the problem is over.

  • Lyke Wake Man
    Lyke Wake Man Forum Participant Posts: 238
    edited October 2016 #35

    I see some of you are talking about electric cars, I cant see it happpening, electric cars only do about 50 miles on a ful charge, when I take our van to Cornwall it is 450 miles, firms reps can do that every day, so they would have to make electric cars
    go a lot futher.

     

    When I first started caravaning with a 1100 c.c. Marina van you just put the caravan on the back, if it pulled it you where O.K.  thinking back it was very underpowered, I did struggle to get up hills

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited October 2016 #36

    I did see an article which suggests Knaus have a completely new construction method coming up which could bring the caravans weight down to 750 kg.

    Is this the inflatable caravan then?

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
    1000 Comments
    edited October 2016 #37

    Helium gas suspension?

  • ChemicalJasper
    ChemicalJasper Forum Participant Posts: 437
    edited October 2016 #38

     Wait until they are all electric .

    A passing phase (phase, geddit?Happy)

    Fuel cell cars are coming

    Fuel cell cars are electric !

    The fuel cell merely replaces a conventional battery, or more likely, will charge a smaller lithium battery, which will in turn power the electric motors.

    The main advantage being range, partly derived from the reduced weight over conventional Lithium batteries. So they will be even less likely to be appropriate tow cars.

    A fuel cell works using a fuel (hence the name) but it is by direct chemical reaction, rather than combustion in a engine.

    The chemical energy from the fuel generates electricity - this can be done in numerous ways with numerous fuels, but broadly using same principle to move charged hydrogen ions about. Fuel cells are completely different to batteries,
    requiring a flow of both fuel and air or oxygen to maintain the chemical reaction - that is where the range comes from - can't imagine they will be much lighter than some current cars. 

    Its all about energy density!Laughing

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
    1000 Comments
    edited October 2016 #39

    I couldn't help noticing that there are increasing amounts of charging facilities available for electric cars at motorway services and other places such as National Trust properties.

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