Wheelchair Prius? - North America someday?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by bwilson4web, Mar 28, 2010.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Thanks to a Canadian posting that showed a grainy wheelchair driver and their Prius, I started looking again and found this:

    toyota.jp Æ’vÆ’Å Æ’EÆ’X Âb Æ’EÆ’Fƒ‹ƒLÆ’Æ’Æ’uÂi•ŸŽƒŽÔ—¼Âj Âb Æ’tƒŒƒ“ƒhÆ’}Æ’`Æ’bÆ’NŽæ•t—pÂê—pŽÔ Âb ‹@â€\

    Style 1:
    [​IMG]

    Style 2:
    [​IMG]

    As I look at the photos, my first thought is to install a hinge so the rear driver side door becomes a "suicide door" that opens to the front. This would let my wife stow her wheel chair behind the driver seat.

    Has anyone else seen any wheel chair equipped Prius of note?

    Bob Wilson
     
    #1 bwilson4web, Mar 28, 2010
  2. donalmilligan089

    donalmilligan089 Member

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    I placed an elictric lift in a Curt hitch that lifts wheel chair into rear. Have to remove seat for overhead clearance
     
    #2 donalmilligan089, Mar 28, 2010
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  3. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Pictures?? Type of chair? Lift?

    So you have enough mobility to go around the car to the driver seat?

    Thanks,
    Bob Wilson
     
    #3 bwilson4web, Mar 28, 2010
  4. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    It needs bigger rims to match the wheelchair wheels.
     
    #4 32kcolors, Mar 28, 2010
  5. BlizzardJ

    BlizzardJ New Member

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    That would be a truly amazing feat to fully integrate wheelchair accessibility and yet maintain that svelte 0.25 cd, although it still seems far fetched for a Prius to pull off. Chevy Astros and Dodge Caravans usually spring to mind when it comes to driving in a wheelchair.
     
    #5 BlizzardJ, Mar 29, 2010
  6. mad-dog-one

    mad-dog-one Prius Enthusiast

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    I don't know anything about the engineering required to equip a Prius to carry a wheelchair, but the Prius is the perfect car for the job. Especially if the wheelchair is electric.
     
    #6 mad-dog-one, Mar 29, 2010
  7. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    In our Gen 1 Prius, we had a Coastal Hitch (1.25") + basic carrier + Quickie V-121 (Sunrise Medical) - battery goes into the trunk/hatch. Had some flexing w/ the coastal design. As the chair is inop at the moment (my wife doesn't always need it), we haven't tried it out on the Gen III w/ the Curt Hitch, but imagine it'd work just as well.

    We saw a noticeable MPG drop w/ the other Prius due to increased drag from the chair sitting a bit above the trunk line.
     
    #7 HTMLSpinnr, Mar 29, 2010
  8. donalmilligan089

    donalmilligan089 Member

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    iT IS AN OLD (11 Yrs) RANGER II. WEIGHS ABOUT 175 LBS. NO NAME ON THE LIFT BUT BOUGHT IT USED ON EBAY. IT TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO WITH TORCH AND WELDER TO MODIFY TO 1"1/4 CURT HITCH. WILL TRY TO GET PICS LATER
     
    #8 donalmilligan089, Mar 29, 2010
  9. johnphillips

    johnphillips New Member

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    FWIW I've suggested to a family member to look at these auto lifts many of which are available for self installation from the look of the site.

    I'm doing a bit of research trying find a solution for said family member is in the Prius market and of course worrisome about finding an auto lift.

    Says its a self install...anyone tried this?
     
    #9 johnphillips, May 27, 2010
  10. New_Yorker

    New_Yorker New Member

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    The advent of carbon fiber and other very strong lightweight materials suggests that a person posessing the skills could invent a lightweight wheel chair and lift mechanism suitable for a Prius. I would wonder if Toyota has any thoughts about such handicapped accessible possibilities. With an aging US population. it would seem to be a growing market segment well worth combining with the premier hybrid car.
     
    #10 New_Yorker, May 27, 2010
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