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Leading charity Motability Operations has partnered with design firm Callum to launch a new competition aimed at developing an affordable ‘future-proof’ Electric Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (eWAV).
Launched in 1977, Motability offers affordable vehicle leases to disabled people. But the charity says that the switch to electric power presents a number of problems relating to both affordability and accessibility. The new competition for students at Coventry University and Glasgow School of Art is designed to find solutions to those.
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Motability says that EVs can be harder for disabled motorists to access, due to the raised floor with the batteries mounted underneath. The charity currently supplies around 7000 WAVs to customers, and the bulk of those are smaller machines that are less expansive to buy and take up less space. But Motability says there is a challenge finding suitable eWAVs, becuase they offer less usable space, height and payloads, while still commanding a price premium.
The competition invites students to submit a design for a prototype eWAV that solves those problems. The winning team will secure a paid placement at Callum, the design house established by former Jaguar designer Ian Callum, to develop a working prototype for testing.
Motability says it will seek support from the manufacturers and vehicle convertors it works with to “pave the way” for the concept with engineering insight to improve its feasibility. The hope is that machine could inspire further innovations.
Motability Operations boss Andrew Miller said: “As Britain’s motorists begin to make the switch to electric vehicles, Motability Operations is working hard to ensure our customers aren’t left behind. There are many accessibility challenges we need to overcome as we transition our customers to electric, and this collaboration with Callum marks the latest of our innovation efforts to find a solution.
Callum added: “Industrial design principles state that form follows function and at present electric vehicles are not delivering the required functionality for people with disabilities. It’s an issue that requires industry collaboration to overcome.”
Callum and Motability said that more than 60 students have already submitted designed for the contest, with the winner set to be decided in January 2022.
The only person who got all his work done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe.
Anything i post over three lines long please assume it is an article lol.
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Shouldn’t Mobility wheelchair users be having an input in this. Otherwise they are likely to come up with a modern electrified invacar!
Absolutely, maybe a call to them, from wheelchair users, would stir them into listening to their customers.
The only person who got all his work done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe.
Anything i post over three lines long please assume it is an article lol.They may well do as Motability is feeding into the design house. But are Motability wheelchair users any different to other wheelchair users? I’m sure the design house will get plenty of input..
Motability will want a product they can lease on the scheme, remember. It’ll need to meet users needs.
Ian Callum designed for Aston Martin and Jaguar.
Yes. Though I doubt Mb will let him get to carried away lol.
I can see know the students getting to work designing something like this:, where you enter/exit from the rear!
Shouldn’t Mobility wheelchair users be having an input in this. Otherwise they are likely to come up with a modern electrified invacar!
Said item is updated and revealed to the public tomorrow.
Shouldn’t Mobility wheelchair users be having an input in this. Otherwise they are likely to come up with a modern electrified invacar!
Said item is updated and revealed to the public tomorrow.
I’ll probably miss this and would be grateful if you could provide a link or information on said revealing tomorrow 🙂
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Hyundai Ioniq 6 Ultimate
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Scale modeller in my spare time
----------------------------‘Introducing eVITA… our concept electric wheelchair accessible vehicle (eWAV)⚡
Thanks to the invaluable insight of Motability Operations Ltd customers, the eVITA design addresses the needs of passenger WAV users in small/medium electric vehicles.
Developed in partnership with Motability Operations Ltd, the accessible, versatile and stylish concept vehicle showcases what can be achieved with inclusive design and engineering.’
Its all well a good designing an electric speciality for our wheelchair freinds but, what is often overlooked is not only the weight of the charging equipment and the need to manhandle the cable before and after charging. However the vehicle itself looks interesting in concept form, so I’ll reserve judgement in seeing a real life production model.
A negative if you can call it one is, I guess for what ever reasons, not everbody wants the world to know they drive a Motability vehicle but, just like the Invavar stood out in the 70s, the eVita will do the same now, maybe not as much but, needles to say it will still be different. And I’m really not trying to be negative here.
Its all well a good designing an electric speciality for our wheelchair freinds but, what is often overlooked is not only the weight of the charging equipment and the need to manhandle the cable before and after charging. However the vehicle itself looks interesting in concept form, so I’ll reserve judgement in seeing a real life production model. A negative if you can call it one is, I guess for what ever reasons, not everbody wants the world to know they drive a Motability vehicle but, just like the Invavar stood out in the 70s, the eVita will do the same now, maybe not as much but, needles to say it will still be different. And I’m really not trying to be negative here. Thanks @wmcforum @Stuart
my grandad had one , he used to sneak me into the gap where his wheelchair was supposed to go and take me to the park via the dolly mixtures shop. And LOOK at me now 🙂
weren’t they electric as well ? Or am I dreaming
weren’t they electric as well ? Or am I dreaming
Dreaming ?
The early ones were 200cc but, by the early 70’s they had 500cc or 600cc engines capable of over 80mph lol
Am still waiting for the JetPack they promised us in the late 60’s.
Who needs a WAV, when uou could have a WAJ.
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