I thought, with my recent posts on the future of caravanning it was only fair to look at Hymer’s latest addition to the Eriba Touring range and particularly at the eco-credentials of the 820. There is no doubt that this latest addition is not going to attract those who are working on a budget and I suspect that Hymer are trying to compete directly with the American Airstream brand. However there are some interesting technology being deployed and as time goes on is likely to become more ‘main stream’ in the future.
HOWEVER IT MUST BE POINTED OUT THAT THE ERIBA 820 WILL NOT BE ON SALE IN THE UK AS IT OVER THE LEGAL SIZE FOR UK ROADS! (By approximately 8cms in its body length!)
Video Tour of the Eriba 820
Layout and Data
| Overall length approx. cm | 848 |
| Body length approx. cm | 708 |
| Overall width approx. cm | 236 |
| Overall height approx. cm | 279 |
| Internal length approx. cm | 688 |
| Internal width approx. cm | 229 |
| Maximum headroom approx. cm | 203 |
| Unladen weight approx. kg | 1980 |
| Mass in running order approx. kg | 2050 |
| Maximum payload approx. kg | 450 – 750 |
| Maximum permitted mass kg | 2500 – 2800 |
| Axle | Tandem |
| Maximum vertical load | 100 |
| Floor thickness mm | 51 |
| Side walls / roof approx. mm | 30 |
| Berths | 2 / +2 (SA) |
| Bed size front L x W approx. cm | 205 x 192/ 137 (SA) |
| Bed size rear L x W approx. cm | 210/ 198 x 197 |
| Refrigerator capacity approx. l | 152 l incl. 17.5 l freezer compartment |
| Heating type | Warm water heating 6000 W |
| Warm water supply | 8.4 l boiler, integrated in heating |
| Fresh water tank l | 50 |
| Waste water tank approx. l | 22 / 50 (O) |
| External stowage compartment flap, RH L x W approx. cm | 110 x 40, rear section |
So why is it, an illegal vehicle on UK roads?
So according to the UK Governments’ website, it records the following about towing and trailer length.
The maximum trailer width for any towing vehicle is 2.55 meters.
The maximum length for a trailer towed by a vehicle weighing up to 3,500kg is 7 metres. This length does not include the A-frame.
We can see from the data opposite that the overall length of the 820 is 848 cm or 8.48 meters and that the body length is 708cm or 7.08 meters. This, therefore, makes the vehicle 8cm too long to be towed legally on UK roads by 8 cm.
This is somewhat a shame, as the other data is acceptable for towing on UK road, especially for those of us that have driving licenses issued prior to 1st Jan 1997
Standard Features
Having discovered that the Eriba 820 is not going to be on sale in the UK without a change of law don’t turn off but keep reading as some the features I believe show what will become available in the future as Hymer develops the Eriba range of caravans for the future.
Self-leveling stabilizer jacks
The hydraulic stabilizer jacks move the Touring 820 into a level position at the touch of a button
Electric entrance step
The electric entrance step facilitates quick access, works extremely reliably and is illuminated in the same colour as the LED strip light that runs around the caravan.
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Night-time signature outdoors
One of the main highlights of the new exterior design is the all-round, night-time signature, which always casts your Touring 820 in the right light.
ERIBA Smart Home
The Smart Home system controls the hot water heater and air conditioning system, and also displays the battery and water tank levels, all from the convenience of a digital control panel or the ERIBA Smart Home app.
Autonomy package
Remain self-sufficient at all times with the comprehensive and reliable autonomy package, featuring a 95 Ah AGM living area battery, 230 V automatic charger, LED charger control display and booster (sample image).
Roof air conditioning with integrated room light
The high-performance roof air conditioning in the living area ensures the perfect indoor climate and creates pleasant, natural lighting conditions, thanks to the integrated room light in the air distribution box.
Reading lights with integrated USB socket
The powerful yet energy-saving reading lights guarantee a relaxed reading experience that will not overstrain your eyes. The lights are equipped with an integrated USB socket for convenient charging of your devices.
Optional Extras
As with any Eriba Touring, there is a wealth of optional extras that come at a price, and they are pricey! For example: Draw bar carrier for 2 bicycles, max load capacity 60 Kg, suitable for e-bikes is listed at 395 Euros. If you want the roof mounted awning that will set you back an other 1595 Euros.
With today’s growing desire for renewable energy, you might be tempted by the solar panel option. This will set you back a further 1690 Euros for two 90 watt regulated panels and of course, if you have the solar panel you will probably want the additional 2nd habitation battery Hybrid (135 Ah Lithium) incl. additional 18 A charger at 2990 Euros. A 12V/230 V inverter 1800 watt with mains priority circuit will be another 1690 Euros.
To be green and maximize your off-grid sustainability is going to cost you in the region of 6370 Euros. That is an awful lot of nights camping at the current average price of 5 Euros per night for an electric hook-up (roughly 3.5 years)! So in this case to be green is going to coast a lot, and I believe at these prices it is not feasible or sustainable and Hymer will have to re-think their policy! Only time will tell.
Cost
As we have seen from the optional extras that the Eriba Touring 820 is not going to be cheap! In fact, the starting price of the base unit is just under 75000 Euros. Certainly in the price bracket of the Airstream!
