Wheelchair Cars: Quick Guide

If you’ve never needed to consider how to put a wheelchair in a car, you’re not alone. Only around 1.9% of people in the UK use a wheelchair, according to research.

However, most production cars that you can buy today, are not wheelchair accessible. To make cars suitable for wheelchairs, they require various adaptations. Options such as hoists can help to lift empty wheelchairs into your car boot, for example. While these may be useful if you are able to transfer out of your wheelchair into a car seat, they don’t answer the question of how a person in a wheelchair can get into a car while staying in their chair.

What are wheelchair cars called?

Wheelchair cars which enable the wheelchair user to travel without leaving their wheelchair are called Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles, or WAVs for short. With a WAV, you can sit in a wheelchair in a car and travel.

How a wheelchair user can get into a car while staying in their chair

Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles which have been adapted for wheelchair users to travel while staying in their chair, will have several unique features:

• either a ramp or lift for wheelchair access.
• a lowered floor. This ensures that the wheelchair user has enough headroom to comfortably fit in the car and see out of the windows.
• a wheelchair car clamp system, to secure the wheelchair in place.
• Some wheelchair cars will also have a winch to make it easier to load without needing to push the wheelchair.

How to make a car wheelchair accessible

Adapting a car for wheelchair access in not something you can do at home. It’s a complex engineering process, which requires professional safety testing and type approval to be used on the road. Fortunately, the UK is home to leading wheelchair car convertors who can provide a range of quality wheelchair cars.

How much is a wheelchair car?

• New Wheelchair Cars: Wheelchair cars can vary in price, depending on the type of vehicle, and how it’s converted. New wheelchair vehicles can cost anywhere from £30,000, but adding more seats, vehicle features and complex adaptations will increase the price. Luxury wheelchair cars will cost more but come with benefits such as on-board wi-fi, refrigerators and sensory lighting.
• You can also choose to lease a new wheelchair car through the Motability scheme, if you are eligible for certain benefits. Motability is a cost-effective way to lease a wheelchair car, although there are certain restrictions on how the car can be used, and you have to give the car back after 5 years.
• Used Wheelchair Cars: Buying a used wheelchair car typically costs less, although offers less choice. Always buy from a reputable used WAV dealer, and test the car thoroughly before purchasing. Some WAV dealers offer free home demonstrations across the UK, so that you can try before you buy.

Tip: Vehicles which have been permanently adapted for wheelchair access can be exempt from VAT under certain conditions, offering a 20% saving.

Can you hire a wheelchair car?

You can hire a wheelchair car from Brotherwood. Hiring a wheelchair car is a good way to try out a WAV before buying, or if you only need a wheelchair car for a short period of time. With delivery and collection across the UK, making it easy to rent a wheelchair car near you.