Motability Operations’ eVITA wheelchair accessible EV concept hits the road

Motability Operations has unveiled an all-electric wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) named eVITA to challenge the automotive industry to consider accessibility in their vehicle design.

The eVITA has been created by the mobility provider and design studio CALLUM as a demonstration vehicle for the innovation that can ensure wheelchair users aren’t left behind in the EV transition.

Designed and built in Britain, the eVITA features a reconfigured battery layout to enable wheelchair access, with a low-angle rear ramp integrated into the split electric tailgate and raised windows that reduce motion sickness. The interior has been configured to allow the wheelchair user in the rear to sit closer to the driver, and features a ‘utility bar’ that places infotainment, heating and air conditioning controls within easy reach, along with storage space and charging ports.

Motability Operations currently has 35,000 WAVs in its fleet and has warned that car makers need to ensure EVs are suitable or adaptable or risk leaving users behind. Demand for electric WAVs is set to grow sharply in the coming years as the UK and Europe phase out ICE vehicles that would normally be converted into WAVs.

Andrew Miller, CEO of Motability Operations, said: “Up to 1.2 million wheelchair users in the UK are at risk of being left behind as the country shifts to electric vehicles but this can be addressed by placing accessibility at the heart of vehicle design. That is why we invested in eVITA – informed by our customers’ insight – to provide a blueprint for how manufacturers can embed accessibility into design processes from the outset, reducing cost and protecting disabled people’s independence.

“This is just the first step. Our aim is to work with as many manufacturers and converters as possible to share our learnings and support the development of solutions that will safeguard disabled people’s mobility as the industry moves towards electric.”

Ian Callum CBE, design director of CALLUM, added: “Good design should start with understanding people and their real-world needs. Working with Motability Operations on eVITA has been an opportunity to understand what wheelchair users actually need from a vehicle as the industry transitions to electric.

“By taking a collaborative approach, we’ve created something that’s both practical and thoughtful and shows that accessible design doesn’t have to be an afterthought. I hope it encourages others in the industry to think differently and do more.”

The eVITA demonstrator is currently on display at the Financial Times Future of the Car Summit, where the Kia PV5 WAV, also developed in partnership with Motability Operations, is also on show.