Style Cramper

Young Wheelchair Users Saying No to Converted Minivans

Fighting in the Middle East has rendered thousands of young veterans disabled, and many of them must drive wheelchair-accessible vehicles when they return home. But the vehicles easiest to modify for wheelchair accessibility, minivans, aren’t appealing to Generation-Y customers, according to The Detroit News.
Historically, the minivan has been the vehicle of choice for wheelchair-access conversions, as their front-drive layout allows for the floor to be lowered up to 13 inches without major modifications to the driveline. Their large sliding doors make fitting extendible ramps easier and provide easy access into the cabin. It’s also the most practical vehicle to convert cost-wise, though the process is still a $20,000 affair. “But [young buyers] just don’t want minivans,” president and CEO of Vantage Mobility International (VMI) Doug Eaton told The Detroit News. “The problem with a minivan is just that – it’s a minivan.”
As one of the largest builders of wheelchair-accessible vehicles, VMI is now dealing with the same problem as the rest of the auto industry: appealing to younger buyers and aging baby boomers. In the past, the wheelchair-accessible vehicle industry catered to a population of mostly older customers who appreciated the many benefits of a van. Now, with this influx of newly disabled veterans, companies must adapt to their different tastes. Paragraphimage Eaton is attempting to respond to changing demands with the VMI’s “25th Anniversary” Honda Odyssey (pictured), which sports flashy wheels, leather seats, and a carbon-fiber dashboard cover. The van is aimed at Generation-Y buyers who typically prefer modified pickups, but want something that’s easier to use and more practical.
Even this style-heavy minivan or the recently unveiled VPG MV-1 wheelchair-accessible taxi may not be enough to sway many customers like Stephen Willoby, a veteran who returned from Afghanistan four years ago as a quadriplegic. “[I was] already dealing with the loss of identity from the injury,” Willoby told The Detroit News. “On top of everything else, you say, ‘I’ve got to get a minivan?’” UPDATE: Although Willoby initially purchased a modified truck, he eventually bought a Dodge-based VMI van for the bodystyle's easier access to the driver's seat. Richard May, owner of several United Access dealerships throughout the Midwest, says it’s not just young buyers who don’t like minivans, citing the segment’s drop in annual sales from a high of 1.4 million to less than 500,000 in 2011. May suggests an SUV might be a decent alternative. But truck-based SUVs and minivans alike are quickly losing ground to the crossover, a vehicle that’s reportedly not as easy to convert. Until the wheelchair-accessible industry can address the changing tastes of its customers, the minivan will remain its best-seller, with The Detroit News reporting sales of around 15,000 annual sales of modified minivans currently and an expected growth of 8 to 10 percent per year.
Source: The Detroit News

A New Way Of Truckin'

I was super surprised to come across this bit of information recently.  Seems that the conversions get more impressive each year.  I am so glad people are really getting into this area of engineering and production so much nowadays.
Indiana-based ATC Mobility claims to build a high-quality, more versatile and desirable converted vehicle for the 1.7 million Americans who are confined to wheelchairs. Engineered to last, ATC’s patent pending lift system works in a variety of trucks and SUVs and is sold at dealer locations throughout the U.S and Canada.
Their mission is to supply customers an exceptional product that provides a truly unique life changing experience through mobility with style.  ATC conversions are developed through a team effort that ensures the highest quality design for manufacturing, efficient assembly processes and competitive costs and services.
They currently convert the following 2008-2013 GM trucks: Chevy Silverado 1500 or 2500 and the GMC 1500 or 2500 as well as Suburbans,Yukon XL, and Cadillac Escalade ESV.  And they'll do either a driver or passenger side conversion for you.  Most wheelchairs will fit in their 2 wheel drive models, however 4 wheel drive models have some limitations so you'll need to discuss that with them early in your inquiry.
They have a custom shop that can put a lift in other makes and models, however prices of conversions can be 3 times their production price. Also, build times are 3 times longer since many parts have to be custom made.  But if that's what you're interested in and you have the cash, they'll be glad to work with you and will consider the feasibility and get you a quote.

Don't Be A Dummy

You may know the safety features of your vehicle, but do you know how your wheelchair would hold up in an accident?  How well is your wheelchair with respect to the safety, stability and convenience in your automobile?
Wheelchairs that have been designed and tested to be used as a seat in a vehicle are identified as WC19. They meet the design and performance criteria by the set American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Rehabilitation and Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA).
WC19 is a voluntary industry standard for designing, testing and labeling a wheelchair that is ready to be used as a seat in a motor vehicle. A WC19 wheelchair has:
  • Four permanently attached and labeled securement points that can withstand the forces of a 30 mph, 20 g impact.
  • Specific securement point geometry that will accept a securement strap end fitting hook.
  • A clear path of travel that allows proper placement of vehicle mounted occupant safety belts next to the skeletal parts of the body,
  • Anchor points for an optional wheelchair anchored pelvic safety belt, that is designed to withstand a 30 mph, 20 g impact, that has a standard interface on it that allows it to connect to a vehicle-anchored shoulder belt.

For more about this standard in which was passed in April 2000, click here.  And for an up-to-date list of successfully crash tested wheelchairs and seating systems, click here.
It’s your safety and well-being on the line so be sure that your chair meets the ANSI and RESNA standards.
With the current economic situation as it is, I began searching for information on how to keep my current van on the road.  My search lead me to  Wheelchair Vans, Inc.  It's good to know that even with 131,000+ miles on the odometer, my van still has a promising future.  I just hate the thought of sinking so much money into another one with mine in as good a shape as it is.  Now if they'd just make it to where you didn't have to go through a dealer to get the parts.

In Car Wheelchair and Mobility Scooter Battery Charger

Charge your power chair or scooter while you drive. The MobileCharge24E is an electronic 'in-car' charger that plugs into a lighter socket or power port in a car, truck, or van, and charges a 24 volt wheelchair or scooter with the 3 pin XLR plug connector while the vehicle is running, and up to 2 1/2 hours after the vehicle shuts off, if the vehicle power socket remains 'hot' after the key is shut off. This 12 volt to 24 volt DC battery charger is a 3 stage smart charger, that won't overcharge the wheelchair/scooter batteries, and won't discharge the vehicle starting battery, as it is microprocessor controlled.
This unit is safe for AGM or true Gel batteries. We have had numerous inquiries on such a charger, and now offer an excellent unit for a very decent price. Lightweight, compact, and handy.