Full Type Approval

Full Type Approval

This is a crucial set of safety tests to ensure your campervan is safe to drive on the road. It is coordinated by the VCA (Vehicle Certification Agency) from within the government Department for Transport and involves physical simulated crash testing and detailed inspections of every layout and model that we offer and build.

Very few UK campervan converters have undertaken these detailed safety tests, as a loophole in regulations allows the converting of any van that is already registered with the DVLA, to be converted into a campervan without requiring a single safety inspection.

Gaining full Type Approval is costly and takes a considerable period of time. Physical pull tests must be undertaken on any belted travel seats fitted during the conversion and detailed assessments of payload, mass distribution, exterior projections, the fitting of fuel heater parts and much more are covered and reassessed for compliance every 3 years.

Safety is our number one priority and over many years we have invested significant time and effort to ensure that all of our campervans meet or exceed all current safety and testing regulations.

The principle of the regulations is to ensure that any safety aspects of a vehicle that have been adapted during its conversion to a motorcaravan are fully retested before being allowed onto the road. If the converted vehicle passes these tests it will be classified by the DVLA on the V5 ownership document as having a Body Type of Motorcaravan.

Jerba Campervans has gained GB Small Series Type Approval for all five of its T6.1 conversions and is currently working with Ford and the VCA on the same level of approval for our All New Transit Custom campervan conversions.

Type Approval Can Be Gained at Two Safety Levels

1. European Whole Vehicle (EWVTA) or GB Small Series Type Approval (SSTA)
Both EWVTA and SSTA require the highest standards of safety testing – SSTA is the level attained by Jerba Campervans. To gain either of these standards the manufacturer must also have recognised quality systems, most commonly achieved through ISO9001 accreditation.

Both EWVTA and SSTA have the same most rigorous testing level to reach and motorcaravan converters must demonstrate to the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) fully approved testing of anything that affects the base vehicle’s original Type Approval – this involves the actual physical testing of the fitting of all travel seats by crash simulation on the vehicle shell. Other key areas that can also require retesting include swivel plates, electronic appliances, the converted vehicle’s new axle weights and heating systems.

Gaining EWVTA allows a manufacturer to produce and sell as many vehicles as they wish of that type approved design in any EC country.

Gaining SSTA limits a manufacturer within the UK to producing no more than 75 of a type approved design within a given year for UK sale only.

2. Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA)
Really designed for one off vehicles, the IVA is a purely visual inspection and absolutely no physical testing of a vehicle or vehicle shell is required. The inspection is undertaken at a government Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) station and takes around one to two hours.

Seats, seat belts and swivel plates etc. are assessed by eye and no crash test simulation tests are undertaken. There is also no requirement for the manufacturer of the vehicle being tested to have any quality systems within the company.

If a motorcaravan converter chooses this route for Type Approval then each and every vehicle they convert must be inspected. Motorcaravan conversions that pass an IVA will still have the same Private Light Goods (PLG) classification and Motorcaravan V5 Body Type grouping as one that has passed EWVTA or SSTA, but clearly the testing criteria is significantly less rigorous.

To see testing in action click here

Repair & Maintenance and On Board Diagnostic Information

Jerba Campervans will provide to all independent operators unrestricted and remote access to any elements of our multi stage build that is related in any manner to our Type Approval certification (g11*NKS*00405) and is required for the purpose of service or repair. Our Type Approval certification is available here 00405 ext 01 rev 01 NKS

For further information and/or assistance please either call 01620 890374 or email info@jerba.co.uk

Further details on the base vehicle are also available from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Yeomans Drive, Blakelands, Milton Keynes, MK14 5AN.

https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/en.html

For technical information please also refer to the VW portal;

https://www.customized-solution.com/en/en/models/the-transporter/technical-information

Stage 1 Type Approval No. e1*2007/46*0130*

Engine No. contact manufacturer with vehicle VIN number to obtain this information