NCC Publishes Free EV Towing Guide — And Your Dealership Should Already Be Using It

The National Caravan Council has released a consumer guide on towing with electric vehicles. This isn't just another information leaflet. It's a signal that the market is moving faster than most dealers are prepared for.

Let's break down what this means for your business.

What the Guide Actually Says

The NCC guide covers:

• Why EVs work as tow cars (instant torque, smooth acceleration, zero emissions)

• Running costs and towing benefits

• Power consumption realities

• Practical towing tips

The messaging is straightforward: EVs can tow. More models are approved every quarter. Battery tech is improving. Ranges are extending.

The guide acknowledges the range reduction — around 50% when towing — but frames it as a temporary limitation being solved by advancing technology.

Why This Matters for UK Dealers

One in five new cars sold in the UK is now electric. That's not a niche. That's your customer base changing in real time.

The Government has mandated zero-emission vehicles by 2035. You don't have a decade to adjust. You have 10 years to completely transform how you talk about tow cars, outfit caravans for EV customers, and train your sales team.

The NCC publishing this guide tells you two things:

1. Consumer confusion is widespread enough to require intervention

2. The industry body believes EVs are viable enough to publicly endorse them
   

If your dealership is still treating EV towing as a future problem, you're already behind.

The Consumer Angle: What Buyers Are Actually Worried About

The NCC guide exists because consumers have real concerns:

• Can my EV actually tow?

• Will I get stranded?

• How much will range drop?

• Where can I charge while towing?

These are legitimate questions. Your dealership should have confident answers.

The guide provides those answers in a neutral, credible format. That's useful. But if your sales team is directing customers to download a PDF instead of explaining it themselves, you've missed the point.

Why This Is Important for the UK Caravan Industry

Zoom out and the strategy becomes obvious.

The UK market is seeing:

• More first-time buyers

• More downsizers

• More couples choosing lighter tow vehicles or EVs

• More demand for caravans that feel designed, not compromised

Adria’s response is to reposition the compact caravan not as an entry-level product, but as a deliberate lifestyle choice.

That’s a warning shot to competitors still relying on:

• Spec creep without layout intelligence

• “Lightweight” models that feel cramped

• Optional extras doing the heavy lifting

The Action range shows where expectations are moving. If other manufacturers don’t follow, they risk looking dated fast.

What Dealers Should Do Right Now

Stop waiting for customers to ask about EV compatibility. Start leading the conversation.

Update Your Sales Process

Your sales staff should be able to answer:

• Which caravans are best suited for EV towing (lighter models, aerodynamic designs)

• How range reduction works in practice (not theory)

• Where charging infrastructure exists on popular UK touring routes

• Which EV models are approved to tow and at what capacities

If your team can't answer these questions without fumbling, you're losing deals to dealers who can.

Rethink Your Inventory Mix

EVs have different towing dynamics. Lighter caravans with lower drag coefficients will become more desirable. If your forecourt is full of heavier, less aerodynamic models, you're not aligned with where the market is heading.

This doesn't mean dumping your current stock. It means thinking about what you order next.

Stop Treating EVs as a Separate Category

EVs aren't alternative vehicles anymore. They're mainstream. Your website, brochures, and showroom materials should reflect this.

If your caravan specs still only list MTPLM without discussing how that translates to EV towing, you're making customers do the work themselves. They won't. They'll go somewhere that makes it easy.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Range

The guide admits towing cuts EV range by around 50%. That's not spin. That's reality.

But here's what matters: battery technology is improving fast. The EVs launching in 2025 and 2026 have longer ranges and faster charging than models from two years ago. By 2027, 300-mile EVs will be common. Cut that in half for towing, and you still have 150 miles — enough for most UK touring trips between charges.

The dealers who survive this transition will be the ones who explain this clearly, not the ones who downplay it or avoid the topic.

What This Guide Tells You About Industry Direction

The NCC doesn't publish consumer guides on speculative trends. This guide exists because EV towing is happening now, and the industry needs to catch up.

If you're a dealer who hasn't stocked lighter caravans, trained staff on EV specs, or updated your marketing to reflect EV compatibility, you're behind the market.

This isn't a 2030 problem. It's a 2025 problem. The customers walking into your showroom today are driving EVs. The ones walking in next year will be too.

The guide will be distributed at the Motorhome and Caravan Show at Birmingham NEC (14–19 October 2025). It's also available for download at the NCC website.

If your dealership isn't already using something similar — or better — you're letting the NCC do your job for you.