How Many Types of Electric Wheelchair are There?

With the development of rehabilitation assist devices, outdoor electric wheelchairs have been given more caring designs. In addition to the basic mobility functions, the design has started to take more into consideration for the actual use of the elderly. When choosing an electric wheelchair, the elderly and disabled should take into account the environment they use and choose the right style. At the same time, they should also consider their actual needs and add more functions.

There are many types of electric wheelchairs on the market, which can be divided into aluminum, light materials and steel by material. Steel wheelchairs are relatively heavy in weight and the main structure is made of carbon steel, alloy steel or stainless steel. The process of steel tube wheelchairs is constantly improving and is now very mature. Many wheelchair manufacturers still choose steel tubes for the body of the wheelchair but its weight still does not reach the desired effect. With the demand for higher light weight, it is difficult to make a breakthrough in steel wheelchairs.

The weight of aluminum wheelchairs is about 10 pounds less than that of steel tubes, the strength is comparable to that of steel, and the density is 1/3 of that of steel. Compared with other materials, the lightweight effect is good, and it has good corrosion resistance, good recyclability, easy processing and shaping, and the surface spraying and anodizing processes are mature. Its relatively low production cost, perfect process technology and no need for professional production equipment and technology make aluminum alloy the most ideal and popular material for lightweight comprehensive performance at present. Aluminum alloy electric wheelchairs are more suitable for users with high floors, humid environments and frequent moving.

Electric wheelchairs can be divided into lead-acid battery-driven and aluminum battery-driven electric wheelchairs according to their batteries.

The lead-acid battery electric wheelchair adopts the latest electromagnetic brake technology, so it does not slip backwards uphill and has no inertia downhill. It is equipped with technically mature universal controller for more precise direction, easy driving and flexible control.

Another kind of electric wheelchair adopts large-capacity lithium battery as the power source, with stronger power. And it adopts aluminum alloy tube frame and ergonomic design to realize the structure of electric wheelchair with high strength, high load-bearing, light weight, small volume, and ready to fold. Lithium batteries are more environmentally friendly and have a longer service life than their plumbing counterparts.

Outdoor Electric wheelchairs can be divided into ordinary wheelchairs and special wheelchairs according to the type of use. Special wheelchairs can be divided into leisure sports wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, stair climbing wheelchairs and so on, which are designed according to the different needs of users. There are also some special electric wheelchairs, depending on the condition of the patient, with a variety of different accessories, such as enhanced load capacity, special cushions or backrests, neck support systems and so on. In use, it is also different from the general electric wheelchair, because of the wide range of accessories, the operation is more troublesome, and is usually used for patients with serious illness or severe limb or trunk deformation. For the specific needs of patients with certain disabilities, there are a variety of special wheelchairs. Such as unilateral passive wheelchair, special wheelchair for going to the toilet, some wheelchairs with lifting devices, etc.

There are also special wheelchair docking carts that can be adjusted in width to accommodate a wide range of wheelchair sizes and used in conjunction with wheelchairs to help with stair access.

According to the usage scenarios, three different applications have been developed in the category of electric wheelchairs, namely indoor, outdoor and indoor/outdoor wheelchairs.

Indoor wheelchairs are suitable for indoor or outdoor use in close proximity. They are generally lightweight, with small front wheels and a small radius of rotation, and are mainly used by paraplegics or hemiplegics.

Outdoor wheelchairs can be used on unstable surfaces and have a large battery capacity and long battery life. Even on uneven surfaces, this type of wheelchair can travel, usually at a faster speed than indoor power wheelchairs.

Indoor and outdoor general-purpose wheelchairs combine the advantages of the above two types of wheelchairs, and they are general-purpose products that take into account lightness while ensuring range. This type of electric wheelchair usually needs to move on smooth and solid ground, and the battery capacity is usually not too large and the distance traveled is limited.

Nowadays, the pursuit of electric wheelchairs is not only about mobility, but also about meeting the emotional needs of users. Automation and information technology are the inevitable direction of wheelchair development.

Would you consider buying an electric wheelchair? Based on what we have described above, what kind of electric wheelchair would you consider buying?

If there are any other features you would like to see added to your wheelchair, please feel free to share them with us and help us improve our products.