eV – electric wheelchair

by Andreas Bhend / Samuel Uebersax
It's more than a normal Wheelchair!
eV is a wheelchair project which started as an idea of Andreas Bhend and Samuel Uebersax at university. They are industrial designers from Switzerland.
It's a fantastic project... well done!!!
«eV» – is an electric wheelchair driven by two wheel hub motors which are placed in the front wheels.
The V-shaped aluminum frame allows the user to drive the wheelchair in two different ways; either in the indoor mode also called slow-action or the sport mode (outdoor mode).
Switzerland
The Inventors
Andreas Bhend / Samuel Uebersax
The length of the wheelchair when using the indoor mode is as short as the one of a conventional wheelchair. The indoor mode is used inside of buildings with slower speed. By blocking the back wheel with the disc brake and pushing the gas at the same moment, the mode can be changed into the outdoor mode. This state is 40 cm longer and 30 cm wider and it therefore gives you more stability, especially in the curves when driving up to 25 km/h.
The electric motors can be supported by the hand impulse while driving in the sport mode. Samuel Uebersax
He describes the different uses. “The idea is that in the morning you can drive with the ‘sport mode’ to the office, probably with plenty electrical support so you don’t sweat. To access the office, you have to use the elevator. With a common wheelchair for races… these long ones… you can´t change it. But with the eV you just change in to the ‘indoor mode’ and then you can work in the office at your desk. Later in the evening you can drive home again in the ‘sport mode’, maybe with less electrical support for more physical training. At home you once again use the ‘indoor mode’”.Samuel wrote on his webpage, “the indoor mode is used inside of buildings at a slower speed. By blocking the back wheel with the disc brake and pushing the gas at the same time, the mode can be changed into the outdoor mode”. Monica Quintero Restrepo
A wheelchair that works like a bicycle.