Don’t think just because companies are focused on finding greener alternatives for vehicles that other wheeled machines are being left out. The next wave is finding ways to improve the efficiency and mechanics of motorized wheelchairs. Battery-powered wheelchairs were great inventions. They allowed people to get around who couldn’t otherwise and gave hope to people who were bound to their home. However, the battery-powered wheelchairs are semi-flawed. The wheelchairs’ batteries aren’t everlasting and manufacturers are developing fuel cell wheelchairs.
A fuel cell is an energy conversion device where it produces electricity from external factors. Two opposite properties are placed in the fuel cell and react creating energy. The energy will flow continuously until there is nothing left to react with.
Fuel cells generate clean power. The cells waste products tend to be in liquid form, often water, or vapor. It also saves on having to replace and throw out batteries when they die on current battery-powered wheelchairs. Fuel cell wheelchairs are catching on with handicapped or disabled people because of the features these machines would provide such as longer life, fewer cleanups and less waste.
There are more products becoming available and more prototypes being recognized. Suzuki came out with a prototype, MIO, in 2006. The fuel cell wheelchair was seemingly taken straight out of a child’s toy book with its design. It looks more like a robust scooter than a wheelchair; however it has its benefits. The fuel cell is designed to hold four liters of methanol that will produce hydrogen to create electricity and, according to the company, the range is about 25 miles. Suzuki sees this as a bonus as one never has to worry about being stranded. There is also a display on the wheelchair that shows how much fuel is left in the cell. In case of any problems it also comes with a Li-Ion battery as a backup.
It is not inconceivable that wheelchairs have been brought into the alternative energy mix. As more people live further from family, they are going to need to rely on better products to get them around. Those confined to a wheelchair also need easier ways of using wheelchairs without having to worry about problems with the shelf life of the battery.
Fuel cell wheelchairs are safe, if there have been any concerns. The technology has surpassed previous experiments and is reliable. Companies feel so confident about fuel cell technology that the next big step is finding a way to use them to operate our cars. Creating fuel cell wheelchairs is a great movement for disabled people.