The Best Lightweight Electric Wheelchairs For Travel on The Market
The Best Electric Wheelchairs CEO Reviews
At 1800wheelchair we have been selling Electric Wheelchairs since 1997, that's over two decades worth! In that time we helped over a million customers find the right electric wheelchair enabling them to live a more active lifestyle. Here are our 5 best selling Travel Electric Wheelchairs for 2022
Some context regarding the electric wheelchairs we chose for this list; over the last few years, we see a trend moving towards outdoor/foldable lightweight electric wheelchairs. These are motorized wheelchairs that are easy to fold and lift into a car and are therefore easy to travel with. As the senior population age is increasing they want to spend more time with the people they love which demands the use of an Electric Wheelchair to help them travel. The wheelchairs below are our top 5 selling Travel Electric wheelchairs. Each having something unique.
When buying a travel electric wheelchair here are some things to consider (Things to consider when shopping for a lightweight electric wheelchair):
Height and weight of the user - if the user is over 300 lbs. You should look at Heavy Duty Electric Wheelchairs that will accommodate the user's weight, these powered wheelchairs will have a larger seat for a comfortable ride, a stronger motor for power, and heavy-duty wheels to help you go over obstacles.
Chair weight and its folding mechanism - the lighter the chair the easier it is to lift into a car. In years past, electric wheelchairs weighed way over 100 pounds they did not fold and therefore were almost impossible to lift into a car. With today's technological advances in manufacturing and new lightweight / strong materials, we are able to produce lightweight strong electric wheelchairs, some as light as 33 lbs. That allows us to quickly fold the chair and lift it in and out of a car, van, bus, train, and even air travel.
Travel: Will you be taking the electric wheelchair in a car or an airplane? - If you plan on taking your power wheelchair in a car or a van you should look at lightweight foldable electric wheelchairs these motorized wheelchairs are under 50 lbs. and open and fold fairly easily into a small space such as your car trunk. Another option is to buy a wheelchair rack or lift that lives outside your car and will carry your chair. If you plan on taking your electric wheelchair on an airplane (as luggage) you need to make sure the battery is lithium and airline approved (*we recommend you contact your specific airline before traveling to confirm their requirements)
Here are our top best electric wheelchair travel wheelchairs for 2022
#1. Featherweight 33 lbs. Power Chair
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The Featherchair 33 lbs. Electric Wheelchair is the lightest and most compact electric wheelchair ever built. Period!
Using new manufacturing methods and metal processes we were able to manufacture a 33 lbs. Electric Wheelchair - all in! With this Featherweight Power Chair, almost anyone can lift this electric wheelchair into a car. there is no assembly or disassembly needed. It folds into a tight space of 28” x 28” x 13” meaning it will fit into any car trunk and most small closets.
The Featherchair Power 33 lbs. Electric Wheelchair, is super stylish with a matte black frame and comes with a comfortable 1” black seat cushion and back with red piping. The Featherweight Power will take you as fast as 3.7 mph and as far as 13 miles on a single charge.
I promise you will LOVE this chair.
The Featherchair 33 lbs. Electric Wheelchair Ships fully assembled
Pros: What we love about the Featherchair 33 lbs. Electric Wheelchair
- World’s lightest electric wheelchair
- Only 33 lbs.
- 7” front and 10” rear tires
- 3.7 mph and a 13-mile range
- 1” seat and back cushion overlay
- Super designed and stylish
- Airplane approved
Cons: Where the Featherchair 33 lbs. Electric Wheelchair falls short
- We can't find anything yet :)
#2. eVolt traveler power chair
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our most economical travel power chair by far The eVolt power chair is one of our most popular power chairs because you get the most “bang for your buck”: at only $1,388 its one of the most economical travel power chairs you will find for sale (most travel electric wheelchairs are priced at over $2,000) the eVolt is fully foldable into one piece (there is no disassembly needed when traveling), it's has a super easy open and close mechanism that will fold the chair as quick and easy as a baby stroller.
Our customers love the 12” thick, flat-free rear wheels that will pull you over almost all street obstacles and small grass. It also has 2 - 250-watt motors in each wheel giving the eVolt a lot of power that some of our higher-end electric wheelchairs have.
The eVolt weight is 50 lbs. And comes with a super comfortable cushioned seat and back. The eVolt ships fully assembled
Pros: What we love about the eVolt
- Super affordable at under $1,400
- Easy open and fold for travel
- 50 lbs chair weight
- 2x 250-watt motors
- 12” super-large rear tires
- 220 lbs capacity. 5 mph
- Ships fully assembled
Cons: where the Shoprider eVolt
- At 50 lbs. It may be a little heavy for some users
#3. Model H Hybrid Manual & Power chair in one
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Unique hybrid manual and power wheelchair all in one
The Model H is super unique because it is two chairs in one: it's a manual wheelchair and an electric wheelchair. It comes with large 24” rear wheels which allow you to self propel (when you turn off the motor) and when you need/want you can easily turn on the power and it becomes a fully motorized wheelchair!
The Model H is designed with super light metal which is why it only weighs under 40 lbs. making it great for travel It folds inwards like an accordion and the back easily snaps back for an even smaller fold allowing it to fit into any car trunk and super small spaces
The Model H comes in a beautiful matte black with a comfortable seat and back cushion overlay. It has a 5 mph speed and up to a 13-mile range
The Model H ship fully assembled
Pros, What we love about the Model H
- Two wheelchairs in one: Manual & Motorized
- Large rear wheel allows for a smooth ride
- Super light at 40 lbs.
- Wheelchair and seat both fold super small
- 5 mph and a 13-mile range
Cons: Where the model H falls short
- Some users don't need the extra-large wheels
#4. AirWheel H3S Auto Folding Smart Chair
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Electric fold and unfolding The AirWheel H3S Auto Fold is the latest in electric folding and unfolding technology: this chair will literally fold and unfold with the push of a button! You have to see it to believe it. You can control the auto fold and open it with a button on the chair or with a remote control. The remote control also allows you to control the wheelchair without anyone sitting in it. This allows you to bring the chair to you if you are not near the chair!.
The AirWheel H3S Auto fold boasts 12” rear wheels, a weight capacity of 286 lbs, a speed of about 4 mph and a 15-mile range, and a quick 5 hour charge time.
The AirWheel H3S Auto Fold comes fully assembled
Pros: What we love about the AirWheel H3S Auto Fold
- Auto fold and unfold with a remote control
- Remote retrieve function
- 12” large rear tires
- 3” super comfortable seat cushion and back
- High-end design and electronics
- Remote control
Cons: Where the AirWheel H3S Auto Foldi falls short
- At 65 lbs. it can be heavy to lift
#5. Move Lite Folding Power Chair
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Our best selling Power Chair in 2022
We sold more Move Lite Folding Power Chairs in 2022 than any other Power wheelchair because it has a 500 Watt motor making it super powerful, it also has a capacity of 300 lbs. It can go as fast as 5 mph with a range of 15 miles on one charge and most important for its sheer beauty. The Move lite comes in classic black frame color, with a thick 3” super comfortable cushion and a high back for extra comfort and with orange accent design.
The Move lite Electric Wheelchair also comes with two large 12” flat-free rear wheels and a 2.5” clearance. The powerful motor and high clearance will take you on any paved road, gravel, and short grass.
The Move lite weighs under 50 lbs and comes fully assembled.
Pros: What we love about the Move Lite Folding Power Wheelchair
- She is a real beauty. Black frame with orange accents
- 3” thick cushioned seat and tall back
- 500-watt motor
- 12” rear wheels ( flat-free)
- 15-mile range per charge
- Airline approved
Cons: Where the Move Lite Folding Power Wheelchair
- At 50 lbs. It can be heavy to lift for some
Electric Wheelchair FAQ’s
Where are Electric Wheelchairs manufactured?
It may come as no surprise that all Consumer Electric Wheelchairs are Manufactured in China (and some in Taiwan and Mexico) there are no Electric wheelchair manufacturers in the USA.
That being said the USA Electric Wheelchair Brands such as Drive Medical, Pride Mobility, Invacare, Golden Technologies, and others all have deep and healthy relationships with Chinese manufacturing of Electric wheelchairs In that they control all the quality of manufacturing electric wheelchairs in China. Some of the Quality Control they have in place are Safety: testing the batteries, Breaking response time, warning lights, backing up sounds, turning speed, Anti-tip over protection Technology: making sure the controllers and motors are up to date with the latest brushless motors Weather testing Heat and temperature: where they simulate different weather conditions to see how the chairs hold up in different heat and environmental conditions. Weight and heavy use: testing the chairs if they can accommodate the weights advertised and how they wear and tear with heavy usage.
Brushed motor vs Brushless motor
We recommend you always look for an electric wheelchair with a brushless motor although they may be slightly more expensive they are longer lasting and efficient
Brushed Motor Are more economical with more simplified wiring that can be sometimes wired directly to the battery with simple switch control, however, they are less efficient because of the constant friction and eventually break down because they are in perpetual motion with the commutator and constant contact with the shaft creating only 75-80% efficiency power created from the motor converting into rotational force and the rest converts to heat
Brushless motors are slightly more expensive but have a longer lifespan because there is no friction and they don't have any brushes to wear out and therefore require less maintenance a brushless motor will create 85- 95% efficiency. They do come with a controller.
What are the different types of Electric Wheelchair brands?
Manufacturers of Electric Wheelchairs
As mentioned above there are no consumer Electric Wheelchairs manufactured in the USA. The Popular USA Wheelchair brands (Such as Pride Mobility, Drive Medical, Golden Technology) act as Importers of Electric Wheelchairs from China. They oversee the design, quality control, import, and logistics of these products. Traditionally Manufactures sell through third-party sellers such as traditional retailers, such as medical supply stores and online e-commerce websites.
Retailers of Electric Wheelchairs
These are retailers such as medical supply stores or online retailers bought from manufacturers who import Electric Wheelchairs and other Medical supplies from China. Retailers specialize in marketing, customer acquisition, customer retention, and all post-sale issues that may come up such as product repair and warranties
Manufacture - Retailers (Hybrid)
These are companies that manage the whole lifecycle of the product. From design, Quality control, in China, Shipping Logistics, Marketing, sales, and post-sale customer care
The benefit of buying your Electric wheelchairs through a manufacturer retailer is that you will get a better quality product (because only one company sees the product through from start to finish and they have more data points on how to constantly improve the product) and a lower cost. (because there are no “middle people” chomping at the profit all the customer pays for is the profit margin of one company. You are buying your product straight from the source.