The move has been met with some concern within the caravan and motorhome sector. While hybrid cars that can operate for “substantial” distances on pure electric power won’t be phased out until 2035, slashing the time frame for change may pose problems for vehicle makers to produce affordable tow cars capable of pulling a family caravan and an all-electric engine suitable for motorhomes.

Director General John Lally of the National Caravan Council, the caravan and motorhome sector’s trade body, outlined concerns, saying: “The development of electric motorhomes and tow cars… is a very valuable market in terms of the UK’s tourism offering and one that we would like to see Government supporting by confirming that funding will be made available for manufacturers to develop a series of lighter vehicle chassis on which to build motorhomes and campervans.

“Manufacturers of electric cars need to be encouraged to ascertain and state the vehicle’s towing capacity. Grants will be needed to install the infrastructure necessary, for example on holiday parks in rural areas, to enable multiple fastcharging points for holidaymakers.”

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Chief Executive Mike Hawes said: “We share government’s ambition for leadership in decarbonising road transport and are committed to the journey. Manufacturers have invested billions to deliver vehicles that are already helping thousands of drivers switch to zero, but this new deadline, fast-tracked by a decade, sets an immense challenge.

“Success will depend on reassuring consumers that they can afford these new technologies, that they will deliver their mobility needs and, critically, that they can recharge as easily as they refuel.”

While there is provision on Club Sites for the charging of electric vehicles, this is via plugging into the camper’s unit, not directly into the hook-up, in order to prevent potential damage to the site’s electrical provision. The fee for use of the hook-up point is the same, regardless of whether it is used to recharge a vehicle or for general domestic camping purposes. If a camper uses the hook-up point to supply a caravan, a 230V socket in the caravan may be used to charge the car provided the Amp rating on the hook-up is not exceeded.

Currently, the Club is not planning a roll-out of electric vehicle charging points at our Club Sites, but this policy is being reviewed with all vehicles in mind including campervans and motorhomes. And we are gauging demand for such a service.

The Club’s Technical Manager Ian Hewlett said: “There are rapid product developments in the battery industry and the Club is monitoring these to ensure it makes the appropriate investment in its infrastructure to meet long-term customer requirements. It’s also worth noting that electric isn’t the only technology to power vehicles and there are others also on the horizon, so we’re monitoring those too.”