Powered wheelchairs

Our range of powered wheelchairs can be viewed here, however if you are unsure about your requirements please read on.   It might give you an idea of your requirements, or open your mind to the possibilities you have.

Before purchasing an electric wheelchair, you should always try it out both in the house and outside, over the main routes that you will be travelling, to make sure that it is suited to your needs.

Powered wheelchairs may not be suitable for everyone. If you have a visual, perceptual or intellectual difficulty, you should seek professional advice before purchasing a user-operated model.

Before deciding on a particular type of chair, it is a good idea to visit one of our showrooms or arrange a free home assessment from one of our fully trained wheelchair specialist team, to allow you to try out equipment and receive professional advice.

There are many makes and models of electric wheelchair. When choosing a powered wheelchair, you will need to consider whether you will use it for indoor or outdoor use (or both).

Electric wheelchairs are usually a lot heavier than manual wheelchairs because the frame has to be stronger in order to support the battery and motors. The level of sophistication in electric wheelchairs also varies widely, from just using standard batteries and a joy stick controller, right up to using customized circuitry which enables the chair to be designed specifically for that user and their needs.

We also have facilities to be able to modify a chair to suit your requirements, this is increasingly becoming the case for many customers.

The way that Electric wheelchairs are propelled also varies, and these different methods give different characteristics to the wheelchairs. The following are the three basic methods of propulsion:

Rear Wheel Drive Wheelchairs

This is the most common method of drive for an electric wheelchair. This method makes the wheelchair fast, but can give a poor turning capability when compared to front and mid wheel drive chairs.

Mid Wheel Drive Wheelchairs

This method of drive gives the best turning capability of all the wheelchairs. The wheelchair can be a little unsteady when starting and stopping though, and may not be suitable for uneven surfaces.

Front Wheel Drive Wheelchairs

This method of drive gives a lower top speed than rear wheel drive chairs, but offers a good turning capability.

If you are considering a powered wheelchair solely to cover distances to and from certain places (rather than using it all the time), are able to transfer easily on and off the seat, have strong upper body muscles and do not need to use a specialised seat unit or pressure relief cushion, you may wish to consider choosing a scooter.