ZEV MOBILITY VEHICLE OPTIONS
ZEV MOBILITY VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A NEW LEVEL OF CHOICES FOR MOBILITY
- Enclosed 3 wheel scooters. 2 wheels in the rear.
- Non enclosed 3 wheel scooters. 2 wheels in the front.
- 2 wheels in a line, with one or two balance wheels (3/4 total), OR, with a wider stance, cargo boxes or "sidecars".
- 4 wheels in a drop power rear gate vehicle that you can drive a wheelchair or power wheelchair/scooter into (side dependent) where the wheelchair becomes the drivers seat.
The issue for many people is that a standard power chair or mobility scooter is a narrow tippy vehicle, with low speed, low range, and confined to sidewalks. They are very restrictive as to where you can drive, how far, how fast. If you have a mobility scooter, then you need a van or truck to carry it where you need to go. If you have no leg or foot ability, then you need a mega expensive, hand control only car or van just to carry your mobility scooter to get where you need to go.
With the ZEV Mobility Scooters that can be driven either as a Mobility Scooter, or licensed as a road legal motor scooter (or in many states as a moped without a license) your activity is much less limited. The ZEV line of motor scooters is intended to eliminate the big power chair mobility scooter and the expensive car or van. You can get to your ZEV with a cane or walker, or folding wheelchair, put the cane or chair on or in the ZEV, then drive at comfortable city street speeds, for ranges of up to 140 miles. The larger wheel diameter allows for climbing over curbs. The higher power allows steep hill climbing without risk of turning over.
The US FDA does not use the common description of a Mobility Scooter but states that the vehicles are Part 890 Physical Medicine Devices, Subpart D, Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices. Section 890.3800 states that Motorized 3 Wheeled Vehicles. (a) Identification. A motorized three-wheeled vehicle is a gasoline-fueled or battery-powered device intended for medical purposes that is used for outside transportation by disabled persons.
The USA Department of Justice in September 15, 2010 issued the new rules for what is a Mobility Device by establishing that:
A) A wheelchair is no longer just a historic type wheelchair, but that "The term "wheelchair" is defined in the new rules as "a manually-operated or power-driven device designed primarily for use by an individual with a mobility disability for the main purpose of indoor or of both indoor and outdoor locomotion."
B) A new class of Mobility Device is recognized by the DOJ. "In recent years, some people with mobility disabilities have begun using less traditional mobility devices such as golf cars or Segways®. These devices are called "other power-driven mobility device" (OPDMD) in the rule. OPDMD is defined in the new rules as "any mobility device powered by batteries, fuel, or other engines… that is used by individuals with mobility disabilities for the purpose of locomotion, including golf cars, electronic personal assistance mobility devices… , or any mobility device designed to operate in areas without defined pedestrian routes, but that is not a wheelchair".
Contact ZEV to obtain a copy of the DOJ document or directions to the FDA descriptions.
Per the statements of the Dept of Justice "People with disabilities have the right to choose whatever mobility device best suits their needs."
Given these broad descriptions of legally what is a Mobility Device, ZEV has strove to be inventive and creative to provide Mobility Device options for the broadest range of people. In Europe, trikes such as the ZEV have long been recognized as Mobility Devices.
There are five main variations of design for the ZEV Mobility Scooter.
1)
The ZEV LRC trikes have 3 wheels (2 wheels in front) for self balancing, but retain normal motorcycle style.
2)
Fully enclosed Mobility Scooters (2 wheels in the rear) from ZEV have reverse, heaters, windshield wipers, and only hand controls. The doors open at 90 degrees to be able to pull a wheelchair up to them to transition from the wheelchair into the car. There is space designed to hold a folding wheelchair behind the driver’s seat on all models
3)
The T3-5D model has a 39 inch wide rear door and a flat behind the driver floor for carrying wheelchairs also. Full length grab rails at the top of the car enable a person to hold on to the car while folding up a wheelchair or moving into the driver’s seat. The ZEV are available with several seating options to aid ingress/egress.
4)
The T3-Pickup is a fully enclosed 3 Mobility Scooter with the addition of a small truck bed at the rear to be able to carry a standard home door width Power Chair. The tail gate width is 39 inches. A winch mounted in the bed, with the ramp, and a remote control for the winch allows the Chair to be pulled up and into the ZEV Mobility Scooter. The intent is to eliminate the need for a van or a trailer hitch mounted platform on a large truck or car to save the customer 10s of thousands of dollars.
5)
The standard ZEV wheel scooters have reverse, easy on/off, hand controls. With the offset wheel sets ("Outrigger or Balance wheel(s)") the vehicle is completely self balancing and retains all of the speed, range, reverse, and utility of the standard 2 wheel vehicles. Optional cargo boxes allow large loads to be carried when using the dual Outrigger wheels.
Every ZEV scooter which is a 3 wheel (or a 4 wheel Mobility Scooter using the Convertible kit) or the 4 wheel Wheelchair Transporter with the rear ramp has the following characteristics.
1. Only uses hand controls
2. Has a reverse gear
3. Has an extremely low step up height with assist handles to the rear to enable people to easily mount the bike
4. Has either flat floors or very low platform mid heights
5. Has an extremely low CG
6. Has large OD wheels so that it can climb curbs.
7. Seats with seatbelts and backrests.
