by Burgerman » 02 May 2010, 15:57
I have never even seen one in real life. But I have an automatic aversion to anything front drive, even my van! Stems from years of engineering and vehicles and understanding physics! Its rear steered front drive. Ever driven a fork lift truck on a slippery surface? They want to spin around and go backwards. And they do somethimes. I managed that with a front drive powerchair many years ago. It spun on leaves and all but tipped me out! But if you ignore that and at low speeds you can, then I think the following:
Too wide and long for any possible sensible indoor use. Obviously, and it steers like a car going in reverse so indoors is definitely out of the question. It cant turn on its axis like a powerchair with caster wheels. So you would be doing 33 point turns even if it woul go in your house/public loo etc. That obviously doesent matter if you can transfer from one chair to another, when you want to go outdoors. Or if you can walk into say a shop, a bar, a toilet etc. But for me that totally rules it out. I need a chair to go everywhere!
But if you dont then it will work ok outdoors. But then almost anything will since indoor ability can be ignored.
Its claimed range is frankly unbelievable too when you look at its battery sizes. It uses small 40ah batteries up to 110ah ones -- You choose. Now allowing for the fact that its actually a scooter rather than a powerchair (steers like a car, rather than by applying different power to each drive wheel and uses a single motor) it should have more range than a given powerchair has on the same sized (capacity) battery. Say an extra 1/3rd if we are generous. As no power gets wasted steering.
A typical powerchair with a claimed range of 20 miles usually is in desperate need of a charge after around 5 real world miles with curbs, ramps, hills, grass, carpets etc. They are tested with a skinny 12 year old on a flat surface and batteries discharged to destruction. So on the same sized group 24 batteries (73ah gels) it would likely get around 7.5 sensible miles. It has the option of group 27 batteries that are 110 Ah typically. So it will get another 50 or 60 percent range. Or less since they weigh a ton. So call it a real world 12 miles on a good day. Still not bad but its big, slow, heavy.
If it cant go indoors anyway, why bother with heavy slow electric power when you can get 50, 90 or 100cc twist and go Quad bikes on ebay for a couple of hundred, electric start, all controls inc reverse on the bars.
You could afford about 30 spare ones, and still have money left over for a rehab style or car style seat to be fitted. And have better range, less weight, no heavy batteries and better performance? And no fork lift style front wheel drive? And better riding bigger all terrain rubber?
Thats just my take on all outdoor only electric powerchairs. But they sell so maybe I am wrong!