When looking for the best mobility device for your close ones, often the search leads to a lot of different avenues that can be a bit overwhelming. This is especially true when it is one of your first experiences shopping and you aren’t quite sure what to look for. This post will act as a comprehensive guide for what exactly to be on the lookout for when purchasing the ideal vehicle – one of the first options of which is a 3-Wheel Electric Scooter.
When beginning your search, you probably came across 3-Wheel Electric scooters and wondered if they are any good for the purposes of accessibility and movement for the differently abled or the elderly. To provide a simple answer – yes, they certainly do.
3-wheel electric scooters provide a great way for the rider to feel in control of their movements, while providing great handling and maneuverability. They often provide quite a good maximum range on a single charge and can zip across the ground at a considerable pace as compared to other options like electric wheelchairs, which is often the choice product for the purposes defined above, but don’t provide quite the same thrill. However, this fact never compromises with the safety of the rider as their controls tend to be quite responsive and there are plenty of safety features in place as well. Should you feel hesitant in buying a 3-wheel electric scooter, we will outline a few options from the world of electric wheelchairs as well towards the end in order to help you round off the best choice for your specific need.
What to look for in a 3-Wheel Electric Scooter?
It depends on the rider and what the purpose for the purchase is. Chances are, you already have the necessary facilities to move around in a building or within the confines of a house (for the differently abled or the elderly). In this case what you might be looking for is a mobility scooter that isn’t necessarily portable or lightweight but provides comfort across outdoor pathways and is built to last. Afikim provides the best options for this purpose, with little to no portability but a lot of ruggedness – something that should suit the adventure-minded. Check out their full range on our website here.
Another great option of brands is Ewheels, who aren’t strictly catering to the purposes of medical care and accessibility. Their products are more in the mold of a conventional vehicle and can serve a variety of roles, from providing a recreational transport for the home to aiding the services industry. They are also quite well-designed and just like Afikim products, are quite sturdy as well, featuring pneumatic tires and long-distance ranges of 43 miles on a full charge.
If affordability is your primary concern, while having ample safety measures for accessibility functions, then you cannot go wrong with Pride Mobility 3-wheel electric scooters. They aren’t as quick as the options mentioned above but have the feature of being able to be folded and stored in car trunks. For instance, the Pride Go-Go Sport 3 Wheel ticks all these boxes and has a maximum speed of 4.7 mph and has a maximum driving range of 14.5 miles on a single full charge. It can also carry a maximum of 325 pounds.
These three criteria are often what make or break a purchase depending on the individual use case and we suggest going through our product specifications compiled for each model that you explore. It will also help you arrive at a decision by showing you factors that you might not have considered before, such as the battery capacity and safety features like an Anti-tip bar and automatic braking.
You can also check out offerings from brands such as Golden Buzzaround and Vive Health for more options, with the latter providing some great affordable mobility scooters of the 3-wheel type.
Let us now take a look at a few models from the range of electric wheelchairs.
Why choose an electric wheelchair?
We have had a close look at what 3-wheel mobility scooters are like on Scootaround, with many offerings from the brands listed above providing great recreational qualities with their suspension enabled wheels, pneumatic tires and substantial speeds. However, electric wheelchairs are much more aligned with the needs of the few. They operate at much slower speeds and take care of most safety measures. They also feature much simplified controls and optimal comfort as a wheelchair can often carry a person for long amounts of time.
Modular designs and ultra portability are also huge factors here as electric wheelchairs need to be lightweight and compact enough to be carried in car trunks and storage compartments.
This is addressed very well by the Japanese brand WHILL Wheelchairs, who are a step ahead when incorporating the above design requirements in their wheelchairs. This is evident by the fact that the brand has won several CES Best of Innovation Awards and their products were even named one of TIME Magazine's 50 Best Inventions of 2018.
Two of their models, the Model C2 and Model F showcase the innovative drive that the brand has. They have a maximum speed of 5 mph and 3.7 mph respectively and the drive range is just above 11 miles for both.
One of the most important specifications to be considered when choosing a mobility device is the turning radius. Electric wheelchairs are often meant to be operated indoors and through lifts, which means being able to turn and maneuver in tight spaces is of paramount importance. The WHILL Wheelchairs Model C2 and Model F boast turning radii of 29.9” and 30.7” respectively.
Load bearing capability should also be a consideration here, and the Model C2 can support up to 300 pounds of weight while the Model F can bear 250 pounds. This metric is completely based on the individual’s needs and must be referred to when making the purchase. The same goes for 3-wheel mobility scooters as well.
Conclusion
We have outlined the factors to be considered while choosing the mobility vehicle as per your requirements and each brand caters to the needs of a variety of users. Going through the specifications can help you be a better judge of what the ideal product is for the needs of your loved ones, be it a 3-wheel mobility scooter or the safer alternative of an electric wheelchair. Hope we could be of your help in arriving at a decision!
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