Caravans, Motorhomes, and RVs

The fascination with caravan and camping is still as popular as ever, and motorhome sales (http://www.cruiseamerica.com) have rocketed in the latter few years. Motorhomes and RVs are available in many sizes and configurations, with different designs often split into different categories. While the term RV or recreational vehicle is often used in North America, the term motor home is more widely used around the world. However, motor homes are often split into distinct groups, with some examples being diesel pushers, campervans, camping trailers, truck campers, and popup campers. While caravans are often seen as a separate group, they are also considered to be part of the wider mobile home category.

A caravan is a detachable mobile home that is towed by a regular vehicle, while a motorhome is generally an all-in-one solution where the vehicle and the home are part of a single structure. However, things get confusing fast, as there are a number of tow-able camper structures that are also considered to be motor homes. Motor homes can be split into three distinct classes, with additional campers and trailers also available. Class A motor homes include large vehicles that use a truck or bus chassis, such as diesel pushers of converted buses. There are also a number of large commercial motor vehicle that use a heavy chassis and fit into this category.

Class B motor homes consist of vehicles that look much like conventional vans, although they may have higher roofs or converted bodies. This is a popular type of motor home for campers and weekend users, as it is more affordable and easier to maintain. Class C motor homes are large vehicles that consist of a truck chassis and an attached cab section, such as the popular Ford E450 design. In comparison to these one-in-all vehicles, a caravan is a trailer structure that needs to be towed by another vehicle. A caravan is a unit with rigid sides, and shares many similarities with other tow-able trailers like camper trailers and hybrid trailers.