Mathias is PARAVAN's first Hyundai STARIA customer. The quadriplegic has now taken delivery of his new vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with the Space Drive driving and steering system, mini steering wheel and accelerator/brake slider as well as PARAVAN Touch for operating the secondary functions and the cassette lift.
The Hyundai STARIA is a new platform for wheelchair-accessible vehicle conversions as a driver and passenger solution with optimum headroom for wheelchair users - flexibly adaptable to a wide range of needs - and has been part of the vehicle portfolio of PARAVAN GmbH since last year. The mobility experts have now handed over the first vehicle to a customer.
Since 2010, Mathias has been driving a Chrysler Voyager equipped with a gas brake slider, a mini steering wheel and the first generation of the Space Drive drive and steering system with an underfloor ramp. But the vehicle was getting on in years. A replacement was needed that would also provide the comfortable headroom the 50-year-old needs to drive his PARAVAN PR50 directly in front of the steering wheel. With the new Hyundai, he has found a modern alternative. The new vehicle is equipped with the Space Drive 2 driving and steering system, as well as other new features. Whereas Mathias previously had only limited access to his car's secondary functions, he can now operate them conveniently via PARAVAN Touch or Voice Control, right down to the sun visor. "I have to take it all in," says Mathias during the briefing and adjustment.
The biggest challenge was finding the optimal setting for the mini wheel. 2 newton (n) of torque resistance (corresponds to 8.9 pound-force (lbf)) was too soft, and even the next level at 5n (22,24 lbf) did not provide the desired driving experience. Then he found the 15n (66,72 lbf) setting. "The steering was always too soft for me," he says. "Now the resistance is higher and it's much more comfortable to drive." In addition to the new vehicle, Space Drive 2 is also new to him. "The steering is more direct now, I used to have to turn a lot more". He enters his PARAVAN PR50 via a cassette lift and can drive right up to the steering wheel. The docking station then locks the electric wheelchair in place.
With the Hyundai Staria, Mathias now drives a vehicle of the latest generation. The modern Multivan offers optimal conditions for adapting the vehicle to almost any physical limitation. Many standard features, such as automatically opening power sliding doors and tailgate, the navigation-based Assistant - which automatically adjusts speed to the road topography - and Passenger-View provide a significant increase in safety and comfort. The vehicle height of 1.99 meters ensures easy entry and exit. "With these features, the vehicle meets all the requirements of a modern wheelchair accessible vehicle in an attractive price segment," explains Joachim Glück, Head of Mobility Consulting at PARAVAN GmbH. A modern, high-quality interior and plenty of space with a vehicle length of 5.25 meters also offer the ideal conditions for converting a vehicle for the disabled as a driver, passenger or ride-sharing solution.
"The new PARAVAN Hyundai STARIA combines the advantages of a wheelchair accessible vehicle with a modern design," says Dietmar Bendinger, manager of the PARAVAN branch in Heidelberg, whose customers have also shown great interest in the new vehicle. To provide the necessary headroom of 1.40 meters, the vehicle floor can be lowered from the A-pillar to the C-pillar - depending on the customer's wishes, as in the case of Mathias. This creates a spacious and accessible interior with a sliding third row of seats. Further individual adjustments are possible depending on the symptoms.
"We are always looking for practical vehicle alternatives," says Glück. "But the choices are getting smaller, because many models are now only available in electric versions. These are difficult to adapt in terms of battery and gross vehicle weight. With the discontinuation of the VW T6.1 and the internal combustion version of the Peugeot Traveller, the choice for customers is becoming even more limited.
Overview of PARAVAN Hyundai STARIA:
- Available in two versions:
- Hyundai Staria "Extended" with a maximum interior height of 1.42 meters
- Hyundai Staria with a fixed floor with a maximum interior height of 1.35 meters and an entrance height of 1.24 meters. Dimensions may vary depending on floor equipment
- Convenient access thanks to the powerful PARAVAN cassette lift (load capacity up to 330 kg)
- Quick and easy sliding door opening and lift extension via remote control or PARAVAN app (optional)
- Barrier-free flooring in the vehicle interior from the A-pillar to the C-pillar
- Wheelchair user as driver and transport of a wheelchair user possible thanks to attachments in the front passenger position and in the 2nd row of seats
- Easy, quick and safe installation and removal of driver and front passenger seats thanks to the proven PARAVAN seat system
- Full-size trunk and original 3-passenger rear bench seat retained
- Space Drive® II digital ride and handling system (optional)
- PARAVAN Transfer Console (optional)
- PARAVAN driver and passenger docking stations (optional)
- PARAVAN Touch System, voice control (option)
Fuel consumption and emissions data
Fuel consumption for the Hyundai STARIA Signature 2.2 CRDi, front-wheel drive: low (short distance): 11.1 l/100 km; medium (suburban): 8.5 l/100 km; high (country road): 7.2 l/100 km; maximum (highway) 8.6 l/100 km; combined: 8.5 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 222 g/km; CO2 efficiency class: C. The stated fuel consumption and CO2 emission values were determined in accordance with the prescribed WLTP measurement procedure
