Wheelchair Vehicle is a three-wheeler powered by electricity

People using wheelchairs do have accessibility issues and have problems traveling to places at times. A Japan-based firm known as YDS recently showed off a three-wheeler powered by electricity for use by the disabled people making use of wheelchairs. Using a DC brushless motor with a rated output of 0.58kW connected to the front wheel, the Wheelchair Vehicle or WCV packs an iron phosphate lithium-ion battery with a voltage of 48V, a 10Ah capacity and takes around four hours to charge up. It can travel up to speeds of 30km/h with a range of 50km. a lever lowers the back end of the three-wheeler forming a slope, using which wheelchair users can get on to the WCV.

To be released in the spring of 2011, the firm YDS plan to give this one a price tag of US$5,987 to 7,185.

[Techon]