More space for mobility!

New vehicle generation as the basis for customized mobility solutions – lowered floor, extended version, and digital driving aids enable barrier-free conversions for drivers and passengers in wheelchairs

Pfronstetten-Aichelau, March 17, 2026 – Getting into the car and driving off – for many people, this is a matter of course. For people with disabilities, however, this often involves significantly more effort and is frequently only possible with a custom-adapted vehicle. With the new generation of the VW New Caravelle, Paravan GmbH is expanding its portfolio to include another vehicle for wheelchair-accessible conversions.

The platform continues to offer excellent conditions for barrier-free mobility solutions, building on the success of the previous VW T6.1, which has established itself in recent years as one of the most popular base vehicles for custom conversions. As a new vehicle generation, the New Caravelle also features modern assistance systems and advanced vehicle technology that provide additional comfort and safety in everyday life. Modern vehicle technology and custom modifications thus create mobility solutions that enable people with disabilities to participate in daily life on their own terms.

“For many of our customers, the VW T6.1 has been an important vehicle for custom mobility solutions for years. With the new Caravelle, we now once again have a platform that is ideally suited for barrier-free vehicle conversions,” says Luca Arnold, member of the executive board at Paravan GmbH. “For us, this means planning reliability in the vehicle base—and for our customers, continuity in choosing a proven vehicle concept.”

More space thanks to the extended version and lowered floor

The new platform continues to offer optimal conditions for barrier-free vehicle adaptation. The Extended version with additional interior height offers particular advantages for people with mobility impairments. In combination with the Paravan base conversion, the vehicle floor is lowered from the A-pillar to the C-pillar. This creates a spacious interior with a headroom of up to 146 cm in the driver’s area, allowing wheelchair users to enter comfortably and adopt an ergonomic seating position.

The vehicle can be used as both a self-drive solution and a passenger solution. Wheelchair users can either drive directly behind the steering wheel or ride as a passenger next to the driver or in the rear of the vehicle.

Customization for different medical conditions

Another advantage is its flexible adaptability to different medical conditions. Depending on individual needs, the New Caravelle can be equipped with various control systems—ranging from classic hand controls for the accelerator and brake to steering aids for limited arm strength, all the way to fully electronic driving and steering systems.

For people with complex mobility limitations, such as those with tetraplegia, neuromuscular disorders, dysmelia, or dwarfism, the vehicle can be equipped with the Space Drive drive-by-wire system. The digital driving and steering system allows control of the accelerator, brakes, and steering via alternative input devices such as a mini steering wheel, joystick, accelerator/brake slider, or foot steering.

Entry is facilitated, for example, by the Paravan cassette lift, which allows the wheelchair to be driven into the vehicle. In conjunction with a docking station, the wheelchair can then be securely fastened inside the vehicle. If an electric wheelchair such as the Paravan PR 50 is used, it can be utilized directly as the driver’s seat in combination with the reinforced Paravan vehicle floor and the docking station.

Alternatively, a Paravan transfer console can be used to facilitate the transfer from the wheelchair to the original driver’s seat. A head and backrest can also be integrated to securely stabilize the seating position.

“The new platform continues to provide the structural requirements necessary for many of our conversion concepts—such as for lowering the floor or for solutions where wheelchair users remain seated directly in the vehicle,” explains Joachim Glück, Team Leader of Vehicle Sales at Paravan GmbH. “Demand for solutions based on the new Caravelle has already noticeably increased.”

With the basic conversion for the VW New Caravelle, the new generation also provides a foundation for customized mobility solutions based on a vehicle model that has proven itself with many users.

Further information