Portable Motorised Wheelchairs - Do they exist?

by Warren Chew
(Singapore)

Many people come to me looking for motorised wheelchairs that are portable, cheap, powerful and durable. Does it even exist? Perhaps in a perfect world; so let's get realistic.

Yes, there are portable electric wheelchairs, but some things will have to be sacrificed in order keep the wheelchair light. Let me share with you exactly the trade-offs, so that you don't get blind-sided into buying the wrong product.

What is Portability?
Portability typically means the ability to quickly and easily put the motorised wheelchair into the boot of a car. Not every car boot is the same though, and not every user has a caregiver able to lift the wheelchair parts into the boot. So portability needs to be defined in relation to your own, unique set of circumstances.

Total Weight vs Weight of heaviest piece
Is a motorised wheelchair that is, say, 55 kg is considered more portable than one that is 60 kg? In reality, nobody loads an electric wheelchair into a car without some form of disassembly, unless some specialized equipment such as lifts or ramps are used, which can cost as much as, if not more, than the wheelchair itself.

Most of the motorised wheelchairs you see in Singapore are the traditional heavy-duty rear-wheel drive chairs. They are usually constructed in similar ways, that is;
2 x batteries
2 x foot rests
1 x main frame, which consists of the seat, motors, gearbox and wheels

The heaviest and bulkiest piece is the main frame, which typically weighs 35 - 45 kg. Do you have the muscle power to bring that into the car? It's possible if you have 2 person or one very strong man.

By the same measure, a motorised wheelchair having total weight of 50 kg could be portable, for if it can be disassembled into 4 pieces, each weighing 12-15 kg, it is quite manageable. A typical lightweight manual wheelchair weighs about 12-15 kg, and most domestic helpers are able to manage.

Therefore, never just look at the total weight of the wheelchair, but at the weight of the heaviest piece. Don't ever get misled by poorly trained salesperson who tells you a motorised chair is portable just because it is foldable.

If unsure, ask to see the actual sample, get it disassembled, and then ask the primary caregiver (e.g. domestic helper) to carry the individual pieces at least 2 feet into the air. 2 feet is the height of an average car boot from the ground.


What are the trade-offs?
Portability vs Price
Portable motorised wheelchairs will set you back between S$3,500 to S$6,500 whereas a traditional heavy-duty one should typically cost S$2,000 to S$4,000. So be prepared to pay more if if portability is a "must-have" for you.

If portability is just "nice-to-have" that you would need only once or twice a month, then you may want to think twice. You may be better off getting a heavy motorised wheelchair for your daily use around the neighborhood, then change to a manual wheelchair when you need to go further in a car or taxi.

Alternatively, consider a portable mobility scooter, which will only cost around S$2,000.

Portability vs Range
Some models use smaller capacity batteries in order to reduce the total weight of the chair. The typical heavy-duty motorised wheelchair uses 2 SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) batteries rated 32 to 36 Ampere-Hours (AH), which give about 20 - 25 km travelling range.

So when looking at product specifications, be sure to check the battery capacity and travelling range.

Does that mean that a portable motorised wheelchair with a travelling range below 20 km should be ruled out? Absolutely not! The real question is whether the range is good enough for your lifestyle needs. The average human adult walks at a speed of 4 - 5 km/h. So 20 km is the equivalent to walking 4 - 5 hours, non-stop. If you're just using this around the neighbourhood, 10 km is more than enough for you.

The most expensive portable power wheelchairs are those using Li-Ion (Lithium-Ion) batteries, which are reliable, lightweight and has low-maintenance. But they also wear out faster than SLA batteries and are very expensive to replace (typically about S$800). So, this is also an issue of portability vs price.

Portability vs Power
The more powerful the motors, the heavier they get. So, you won't find very powerful motors being fitted onto portable electric wheelchairs. Speed will be slower, though still be faster than the average walking adult.

Steep slopes may be a challenge though. Therefore, another specification you should look out for is the ability to climb slopes.

In Singapore, most wheelchair ramp gradients are between 1:12 (4.8 deg) to 1:10 (5.7 deg). So any electric wheelchair that can climb at least 6 degrees will do fine. You may need to be more wary of slopes steeper than that, such as on pavements beside roads, going up a steep hill, or a multi-storey car park.


In conclusion:

1. If you want a portable motorised wheelchair, be prepared to pay more for it.

2. If budget is a constraint, either consider a mobility scooter, or get a heavy motorised wheelchair for your daily use, then switch to a lightweight manual wheelchair when travelling in a car.

Submit an online enquiry now to consult us on choosing the right wheelchair for you or your loved one, and arrange for a complimentary test drive!