Travelling along the beach in a wheelchair, enjoying the sunset or taking a short mountain hike with your loved ones on a paved path to a mountain hut. With the new PARAVAN PR 4X off-road power wheelchair, this is no longer a problem thanks to its all-wheel drive and large all-terrain tyres.
With the PARAVAN PR 4X, the Swabian mobility experts are presenting a new family member with a completely new drive concept in the wheelchair portfolio. The PARAVAN PR 4X, an extremely off-road wheelchair in a class of its own, has been developed and extensively tested by the PARAVAN wheelchair experts over the past few months. The robust all-wheel drive wheelchair with the customisable camouflage seat shell, extra-large wheels, four powerful motors and large batteries was developed for demanding terrain, for use on the beach, in rough terrain or in the mountains when the going gets a little steeper. ‘The aim of the development was to realise ‘more freedom’ for the customer and thus enable them to take part in one adventure or leisure activity or another,’ says Stefan Ludwig, Head of Wheelchair Systems.
The impetus for the development of this off-roader came from motorhome customers who are not only travelling with their family, but also want to go on excursions together, as well as owners of mountain huts. The aim is to find applications that are difficult to achieve with a conventional power wheelchair. ‘There were several specific customer enquiries,’ reports Ludwig. ‘This motivated us to tackle the development of this special wheelchair.’ The focus was always on ‘more freedom’ and participation in activities where wheelchair users are usually excluded. ‘The ideas were taken up by the wheelchair team and put on wheels.’
The requirements of carers were taken into account during development. ‘Ultimately, the PARAVAN PR 4X is a complete in-house development,’ says the wheelchair expert. The biggest challenge was the steering. A separate servomotor with steering gear is used, which is installed between the front wheels. The four wheels are each driven by four 320 watt wheel hub motors. Steering is via the front axle. ‘The wheels are arranged in such a way that a comfortable steering angle is guaranteed.’ Two 97 Ah batteries power the off-road wheelchair, which has a range of between 25 and 30 kilometres, depending on the terrain and speed. The seat is optionally equipped with two three-point belts ‘for optimum safety’, says Ludwig. Especially as the Swabian wheelchair experts were able to draw on a wealth of experience from the development of the PR 50. The crash-tested wheelchair, which is approved as a driver's seat, also has to withstand extreme loads.
The development phase was followed by extensive testing in sand, on mountains, on grass, on paved but uneven paths, on a gravel beach and in vineyards. ‘The biggest challenge was the wet grass on the alpine meadows,’ reports Stefan Ludwig. There are different tyre profiles depending on the area of use, and the tyre pressure can also be adjusted for more grip on the road.
The PR 4X is controlled by an R-Net controller. The seat can be completely customised to the user's needs at the factory. The off-roader is equipped with a seat lift and seat tilt, and a cable winch and footboards with various attachment options such as a sunshade or fishing rod holder as well as a luggage rack - fixed or swivelling towards the driver - can be ordered as options. A roll bar or an air compressor for optimum tyre pressure can also be ordered. A headlight can also be integrated into the roll bar. The classic and TÜV-approved K630 car seat is used as the seat, which can be customised according to individual customer requirements.
Take a look at the new PARAVAN PR 4X off-roader, take a seat and test it for yourself. Visit us from 25 to 28 September at REHACARE in Düsseldorf, Hall 6, Booth 6C55, where you will find the best advice and the best solution..
