Wow! I love this! I have a friend in a wheelchair and this is exactly what he needs. It would offer him so much more freedom of movement and independence. He hates relying on others for many of his requirements outside of the home. Definitely a plus in making ones quality of life much better!
Maybe if your friend lives in a gated community and just wants to get out and put around. Just beware of frustrated drivers when you are on the main streets and only going 25 mph top speed! If your friend wants to get out for an open air experience check out the Ryan Flyer wheelchair accessible quadricycle for less than a quarter of the cost of a kenguru.
I would love to get one for my wife she has MS and I have told here that iI would never leave her no matter how bad it gets. Now she cant walk anymore, so I have to stay home 24-7 to take care of her Home care is a joke here so I take care of all her needs. My life is hers till the sad end . Because I love her
It has such a short wheel base, you could apply hub motors on all 4 wheels, limit the angle of your ackerman steering, and supplement the remainder of your control steering with skid steering of all four wheels. (Seeing that the owner uses a wheelchair, this is something she probably already considered). It would require sophisgated software of the ECM. Being
I drive an adapted VW Caddy van from a powered wheelchair. I need to have lots of extra room for a spare manual wheelchair, friends and family, room for shopping, extra medical and sports equipment. I can take it on holiday. As there is room for my luggage. In general wheelchair users need much more room not much less room.
Certainly the 60 mile range is when the vehicle, and it's batteries, are new. Meaning that it is safer to think of the range as 40-50 miles. Considering one can purchase a good used wheelchair van, with hand controls, for less than the $25k cost of this unit, I don't see any advantage to it. Especially considering the slow speed and no creature comforts; I suspect that thing will be a real cooker on a hot sunny day.
Yes! Please make one that quadriplegics can drive from their powerchair with a joystick, and if you could make it go at least 40mph that would be great!
It's a good start, and I hope they can built a family car version soon with longer miles per charge and charging time say in minutes not hours at speed of 80mph that's fine with me. It's for my mom not me.
I am not able to control a large vehicle. This one looks easy to drive and driving is the biggest dream in my life. 25mpg works great for me. I'm dying to try it.
I think this a fantastic idea, it's a great start. The physically disabled community is truly the forgotten minority. This will give people that live in a community that has access to shops, restaurants, etc. the ability to get there, perhaps if this takes off future cars will have room for passengers and will be able to achieve higher speeds. Unfortunately this isn't the answer for all people will physical disabilities but will certainly make life easier for a lot.
God Bless you Stacy. I get my health care up at the West Palm VA and I am amazed when I watch what some of the vets go through to get in and out of their vehicles and wheel chairs. This looks to me to be a giant step forward. JT
I would love one of these. I am tired of having to depend on transit buses. I could increase my quolity of life by 100%. Let me know when they start selling in Canada?
Interesting since over 48 million, almost 20% of people in the US are disabled. I am in Canada and just gave up my car a month ago after having one and driving for 58 years! Yes! I can't handle the steering wheel but can manage my scooter's handlebars, and a joystick.
Where have you been? It's a market that would explode with buyers at a price that even a low income person could do. Mini vans are $#)-80, so yeah, a nice street car would be great. I'd like one. Also, no w/c users would buy it for commuting.
Great idea by a Hungarian individual! I wish all the luck and funds for the Kenguru project! But again we can add this invention to the rest of those great ones, which were eventually developed and produced in the past hundred years outside of Hungary... Sad.
Obviously this isn't a normal car, bright one. This is intended for people to get short distances for day to day needs. Its not a family car, its not a van, its not made for a trailer.
This is awesome this give me independents because i naver learn how to drive got sick at dr and naver had a chance then i could be Able to help myself. It not worrying family and others. But me being epileptic i dont knoe but my Husband would love a blind person car that controls so he can learn to drive .god bless.
Inventions like that need to be financed by goverment for people who can´t affort one, also repairing them and care them. There needs to be some paper´s ( as less as possible ) so they can have it, it´s being repaired for the case something is broken or doesn´t work properly... More support for people with disabilities!
I was initially thinking the same thing but this is a start. I would imagine that if this product is more successful that it will evolve more efficiently as regards space. Meanwhile, the independence it offers in mobility away from the home base is incredible. Just to be able to go for a drive on ones own is fantastic!
If any one these big companies (Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Nissan+++) gave a damn about the wheelchair users they could've built a $6000 2-passenger, rear-ramp vehicle like SMART car capable of freeway speeds. With a twin-turbo direct injection 1-Litre diesel at 80mpg.
Yeah Trace but imagine the price by the time you get one from an agent here. My US$3000 (in the US) chair cost AU$5250 to buy from an agent here at a time when our dollar was worth US$1.08. Serious markup (read rip-off) by many US companies selling in Australia.
Great idea, but I would need a trailer or something, where would i put my scooter/gopher that I need to get around the shops and stuff, & what about passengers how do they fit into the car.
Does they mention in the video that "wheelchair car" is a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV)? Like all Low Speed Vehicles it has fatal flaws. It has the outward appearance of a car but as a LSV it can only do 25 mph in most states. This is a terrible mix. Normal traffic and especially hurried traffic isn't very tolerant of slow moving "cars" in traffic. LSV's are not permitted on sidewalks or city street bicycle paths. I live in Wichita Kansas where it is relatively friendly and there is no way I would drive on main streets doing only 25 mph! If you doubt me, drive your car at 25 mph down main streets and see what happens! You will be the car of many names! I wish you well but I seriously doubt there is a market for a $20,000 "almost a car". For 20k I can buy a real car and convert it, have room for groceries and passengers and not get run over. Show less REPLY
I love this idea, I've a. very. hard time walking short distances, all I want is a vehicle that get me the six miles to town and back. So don't feel like a prisoner on my farm where I live
Es wäre schön, wenn neben oder hinter dem Rollstuhl noch Platz für den Beifahrer ist. It would be nice if there was room for the passenger next to or behind the wheelchair.
This seem awesome in one year I'll be able to drive and with this car I don't have to drive around in my parents wheelchair accessible van they got me 3 years ago
I think this is a great idea, and understand, that low production makes the cost go up. I think this lady should sell her company ( keeping some stock in it of course ) to one that can mass produce these economically, before they just do it on their own anyway. China is already manufacturing copies of these.
I can't believe all the stupid comments and questions. She made a major accomplishment for wheel chair users. Give her some 'cred and your donations. ☺______☺
Is there any current information about this vehicle? Is there a good website address? Or did the vehicle just not make it to market? Is one with a longer range than 60 miles? I live in the boonies and it is a 60 mile round trip to shopping, if you don't drive it in town or make any stops to shop or specialist doctor appointments.
1) they are a start up company. they probably don't have money to make anything more powerful at the moment. 2) Does it have power steering? probably not, according to the video they are looking to build a powered joy stick model. .
To be completely honest & fully functional the wheel chair accessible the car needs to accommodate a 415lbs chair plus groceries plus 300lbs person to go up the ramp into the car
Right around 0:25 is where I said "Oh christ, I can see what this is going to be" too. Might be ok for short distances for a high level quad that can't transfer or anything, but for that price I could buy about a dozen little piss pot cars and not have to worry about a dead battery
what do you do when you car needs gas? go to a gas station right..... well you do exactly the same thing. the difference is this is electric. don't try to be so negative in your comment.
cachetesflaco It's not negative, it's reality. 25mph and only be able to drive about 2 hours then hafta wait 8. Can buy a crap load of $2-$3000 cars that will actually get you where you need to go and are a hell of a lot safer than this deathtrap. It is definitely NOT the best option for most wheelchair users.
I'm a C6/C7 quad and I have an accessible Dodge Grand Caravan minivan which was $40,000 and if I want to adapt it to drive then that will cost another $9000. So obviously that's my vehicle for road trips, but if they could improve the speed some then this vehicle would be much better for getting around town. And, there are subsidies for electric vehicles that would make this vehicle very affordable. Buying a beater is not a intelligent option for a lot of wheelchair users...
I'm a C6/C7 quad and I have an accessible Dodge Grand Caravan minivan which was $40,000 and if I want to adapt it to drive then that will cost another $9000. So obviously that's my vehicle for road trips, but if they could improve the speed some then this vehicle would be much better for getting around town. And, there are subsidies for electric vehicles that would make this vehicle very affordable. Buying a beater is not a intelligent option for a lot of wheelchair users...
Hi, I am also a person with disability who drives a 1997 Nissan pick-up. Your Green car is amazing and I'd like to drive one in the days to come since I am having difficulty managing the clutch. I reside in the Philippines, is it possible to acquire one at a cheap price? Thanks
As a wheelchair user, I can say with relative confidence that this vehicle is basically useless for typical everyday needs. With a top speed of only 25MPH, it's only good for putting around the neighborhood. It has no cargo capacity, so forget about using it for normal tasks like grocery shopping or... well anything that would involve transporting more than the individual and her/his chair. That is probably the biggest drawback to this vehicle. An additional concern is its crash survivability which, given its tiny size and fairly flimsy construction, can't be very high at all. I cannot imagine any thoughtful investor actually putting money into this company, given the severe limitations of the product vs. the real-world needs it is intended to address.
I could not have said it better myself. If you want a car then buy a car. This thing is a death trap. If you want an open air, bicycle experience, there is a wheelchair accessible quadricycle called the Ryan Flyer that is allowed in bicycle lanes. SO much safer! And it is a fraction of the cost.
😢have been trying since became aware of these but after searching have not have not seen or locate one the word is out but still best kept secret csn not even able to speak with anyone want :/ need one am disable widow