HYMER is allowed to falsify the weight of vehicles? Investigators explain

The Criminal Investigation Department of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg entered the HYMER headquarters in Bad Waldsee this week. In the background, there are irregularities regarding the inaccuracy in the declared weight of vehicles.

Control in the HYMER group

The services are investigating proceedings against employees of the company suspected of fraud and misrepresentation in the information regarding the weight of vehicles in the context of motorhome sales, as we learn from the announcement of the spokeswoman for the state prosecutor's office in Stuttgart of 27/01/2022.

The ERWIN HYMER group itself (EHG for short) confirms the visit of the officers and officially adds that the purpose is to explain the allegation of irregularities in determining the weight of motorhomes produced by the concern. EHG is interested in clarifying all circumstances and has declared full cooperation with law enforcement authorities. The position on this matter was limited to such a declaration.

According to the eyewitness testimonies, the investigators visited the company's headquarters in the strong presence of several passenger cars and delivery vans. Both the administration / management and the production department were put under the scrutiny. During the intervention, the officers secured the documents for further analysis.

Editorial comment

The ERWIN HYMER Group is currently one of the leading players on the European market. The company, acquired in 2019 by the American company THOR Industries, recorded a turnover of EUR 2.7 billion in the financial year 2020/2021. Among a dozen others, the group also includes the leading brands with traditions on the old continent, such as Hymer, Dethleffs or Bürstner.

For now, it is too early to analyze the details of the above case. Basically, however, the subject of the declared and actual weight of recreational vehicles in our part of the world is constantly “rolled over”.

It is an open secret that both the methodology of the measurement itself and the manufacturers' declarations often have nothing to do with the actual weight indications of vehicles with approval. Loading reserves in the case of cars in the segment up to the magic value of 3.5 tons are often so impractical that without increasing the GVM it is difficult to move them as intended.

Especially novices often underestimate the above-mentioned issues and enter a very “muddy” ground, not being aware of the possible legal and financial consequences. Despite the technological advancement in the segment of integrated and semi-integrated vehicles, we should naturally feel that behind the vehicle advertised as a "family and capacious" vehicle with a length of more than 7 m and the declared GVM of 3.5 tons, there may be a proverbial "mine".