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Motors for wheelchairs. Anyone got one?

(12 Posts)
PamelaJ1 Wed 29-Apr-26 09:23:01

We are off to the disability shop on Friday. Mum doesn’t want a mobility scooter, she doesn’t go out on her own and we live in a village.
We’ve decided to explore the possibility of fitting a motor to her wheelchair to make it easier for us to push uphill.
Anyone got one? If is are you happy with it?
Thanks in advance.

MT62 Wed 29-Apr-26 11:38:59

My dad had one on his wheelchair. A little temperamental, & rather heavy to take on & off.
You would have to time your journey so that it doesn’t battery doesn’t conk out.
Does make the chair easier to manage, but the person pushing the chair needs to be fit to keep up- me with my two dodgy knees struggled.
Go through the mobility shop. Also see if you can get the vat knocked off for being disabled.

Daddima Wed 29-Apr-26 11:43:55

I’m not suggesting this, but on my recent visit to Paris I was horrified to see wheelchair users with their chairs perched on an electric scooter, tootling about, sometimes at high speed!
That was as well as seeing daddy and the two children all on one scooter, and even one fellow on a bike with baby in the basket on the front!

PamelaJ1 Wed 29-Apr-26 18:22:14

Thank you * MT62* I’m just hoping it will help me push her up hills. It will be interesting to find out more.
Daddima I don’t think we’ll be emulating the French!

Charleygirl5 Wed 29-Apr-26 18:48:24

Good luck. Don't go down the mobility scooter route. I bought a supposedly lightweight one for me. I had mega problems getting it in and out of the house because of its weight and the machine was too light for the cracked pavement and slight hills here.

Astitchintime Wed 29-Apr-26 18:55:58

My own experience of the motors that can be added to manual wheelchairs is that they’re very heavy, the chair can’t be fold up with the motor attached and some are rather temperamental. Not too mention the weight they add to the chair.

PamelaJ1 Wed 29-Apr-26 19:01:41

Oh dear, maybe not the answers I was hoping for

Charleygirl5 Wed 29-Apr-26 19:04:00

Pamela the flip side is you know the problems in advance and will not waste money.

Whiff Thu 30-Apr-26 05:26:15

My friend has an electric wheelchair. And is a speed demon. The batteries are taken off to be recharged. The wheelchair is light enough for her daughter to get it in and out of the car . She brought it herself not through the mobility scheme. It is a reconditioned one, she has ones from brand new before but she said you wouldn't know this was second hand . Safer than her old one and more comfortable as she can only walk to and from the car with help.
She goes on the bus in it .

MT62 Thu 30-Apr-26 08:43:57

Astitchintime

My own experience of the motors that can be added to manual wheelchairs is that they’re very heavy, the chair can’t be fold up with the motor attached and some are rather temperamental. Not too mention the weight they add to the chair.

Oh glad you mentioned that, that you can’t fold up the chair Asit, so will need plenty of room to store the chair.

MT62 Thu 30-Apr-26 08:49:08

Whiff

My friend has an electric wheelchair. And is a speed demon. The batteries are taken off to be recharged. The wheelchair is light enough for her daughter to get it in and out of the car . She brought it herself not through the mobility scheme. It is a reconditioned one, she has ones from brand new before but she said you wouldn't know this was second hand . Safer than her old one and more comfortable as she can only walk to and from the car with help.
She goes on the bus in it .

Yes I would go down that route of second hand. Either through mobility shop for reconditioned, or you could try eBay. You could ask the owner if you could try before committing.
‘Next-door’ platform is another you could ask on.

PamelaJ1 Tue 19-May-26 11:12:43

Just a quick update, we have bought a new one, five years guarantee from a well recommended mobility shop.
It’s fantastic. Mum can control it, I can control it remotely, we can also push it with or without the motor. It seems to tick every box.