Dan Cartwright has over 12 years of experience in the caravan and motorhome industry. He is a judge for a number of prestigious leisure vehicle awards and regularly heads off in his motorhome with his family. Every week, Dan shares his insights with the community. Here’s what he has to say this week.
As Bailey of Bristol gears up to debut its electric concept panel van conversion, Endeavour EV, at the Motorhome and Caravan Show next week, I sat down with the team behind it. While the groundbreaking design isn’t set to hit the market any time soon, it’s a fascinating look at the future of leisure vehicles.
What’s clear to see from speaking to Simon Howard, marketing director, and Chloe Bartlett, lead designer, is that they’re incredibly proud of the innovation. It also appears that the designers were given free rein to work with many sustainable materials they hadn’t used before.
That’s the beauty of setting out to create a concept model that’s as sustainable as possible. There’s the discovery of products that hadn’t before been considered that may well make it into other areas of the range. For example, Simon said the recycled boucle fabric could become an added extra customers could opt for on a standard Endeavour.
The fully operational panel van conversion is based on the Ford Pro’s E-Transit platform, with all services and appliances being fully electric. Everything from the work surfaces, upholstery fabrics and furniture handles are made from low-carbon recycled materials. Other exciting features include an adaptable living space with working, lounging and sleeping modes, a voice-controlled lighting system and solar panels.
Inside the Endeavour EV.
Asking Simon about Bailey’s dedication to sustainability and the additional costs associated with it, he told me the approach was really driven by the younger members of the team. He said they want to work with a company putting the environment first and that’s reflected not just in Bailey’s manufacturing processes, but also things like waste removal at its HQ.
What I really wanted to know was whether the Endeavour EV was likely to be included in the Bailey Big Adventure. There’s still a long way to go before the concept vehicle becomes a reality and its range is up to a standard that would satisfy the market.
Range is currently at 108 miles, which rules it out of travelling to the likes of the Sahara or the Arctic. What the future holds for the Endeavour EV, however, is a case of watching this space. We’ll certainly be following its progress with interest.
The Motorhome and Caravan Show will be held from October 17th to 22nd at the NEC in Birmingham. The Bailey team invites you to approach their stand and find out all about the Endeavour EV for yourself.
