by Holly Tribe
A new directive from Europe will change the current method of calculating the Mass in Running Order (MiRO) and payload weights of caravans from the 1st January 2011.
The European Commission’s “Whole Vehicle Type Approval” directive gives allowances for essential equipment, which have previously been covered within the user payload. This will henceforth be calculated in the MiRO weight. This essentially means MiRO weights will increase and payloads will be reduced.
In short, items deemed essential for the running of a caravan will now be included in the MiRO weight category.
This includes:
- Gas cylinders
- Water in the heating system
- Electric Hook-Up (EHU) cable
Leisure batteries are considered personal effects, and are accounted for in the payload allowance.
The National Caravan Council has already changed their standard to fall in line with the EU directive, which requires UK caravan manufacturers to quote weight in terms of the new specification.
A document detailing the changes released by the NCC explains: “It may seem that the user payload for a 2011 model is less because some things are now not included in the user payload”. For example gas bottles are now allocated to the MiRO.
The NCC clarify why it is important to make the distinction: “If for example you always empty your water tank then you will be able to carry extra items up to the weight allowed for the water.”
Many European caravan manufacturers have always quoted MiRO to the new standard and the new directive will bring UK made ‘vans in line with the rest of the Continent.
New 2011 season caravans launched over the last few weeks from leading UK manufacturers Bailey Caravans, and Elddis Caravans have already begun to quote model weights using the new specification.
The legislation will not affect towcar matching because the MTPLM (Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass) calculations which caravanners rely on to measure the trailer and towcar weight ratio remains unchanged.
