Electric cars could be a gamechanger for wheelchair users, but there aren't any for them on the market — here's why

Fri, 02/24/2023 - 12:14

A man in a wheelchair exits a Toyota Sienna with a ramp that makes it accessible. — The Toyota Sienna is a hybrid car that is being converted by manufacturers like BraunAbility to be fully accessible to wheelchair users.
Courtesy of BraunAbility

Of the over 700,000 EVs sold in the US in 2022, none could be fully accessible to wheelchair users.
EV batteries' are under the floor, which is a challenge for making the cars accessible.
Making a car fully accessible to wheelchair users costs around $30,000.

Electrification has been center stage of any car conversation lately, and sales of electric vehicles have increased significantly. And yet, if a wheelchair user in the US wants to be part of the trend and buy a fully accessible EV for personal use, they won't be able to find it.