Wheelchair Vans

With its relatively large height opening, the patient integral with the wheelchair can be hoist-rolled in and out of the vehicle for the transportation in a compact vehicle.

A large side opening having a slide door with a seating arrangement for the paramedic adjacent to the patient, are important traits of this type of ambulance.

Such ambulances are relatively swift and has its function in difficult to manipulate and congested cities.

This type of vans can be used to transport single or multiple wheelchair patients, the larger Sprinter or Vito counterparts may be adapted for simultaneous transport of more patients.

In all these cases, running cost and initial investment economics are the essence.

There is also a 4x4 variant (lowest blue car with window in the roof) or a partially opening roof in the van variant (red), but also the 1.5 and 2 L diesel motor variants, but also the petrol variant.

In an example of the 4x4 variant : Petrol 1598 cc motor delivering a max. power of 94 HP at 5000 rpm with a max. torque 148 Nm at 3750 rpm, manual 5 speed gear train and a max. speed of 153 km/hour petrol usage of 8.6 Liter/100 km.

On the other hand the 4x4 is also with the 1.9 Liter diesel with avg. consumption of 6 L/100 km, variant with 85 HP and 180 Nm torque resulting in a max. speed of 146 km/hour.

Typically Tyre size 195/65R15, vehicle weight 1410 kg with payload 570 kg, with ABS and very competitive in its class.

Particularly to note in the second slide, the lift part is initially flush on the ground to permit a safe movement of the pateient integral with his wheelchair to ride over the lift plateau; this plateau is vertically raised till its surface is flush with the bottom of the van to permit the wheelchair to move into the empty space between the side window an (accompanying) paramedics chair.

What is not clearly evident is that the wheelchair has straps attached, having its outer (opposite) ends attached by lugs fixed in submerged runners as part of the floor; these means is to fasten the wheelchair and its occupant to the van such that the patient is safely secured against rolling back and forth when the van changes its direction or suddenly sops or starts-up.

Subsequently the lift plateau is rotated at its hinge such that it is perpendicularly interposed between the rear door and the patient's back, to be seen in the fourth slide.

At the patient's destination, the reverse lift operation needs to be conducted to allow the exit out of the van.

The third slide shows a wheelchair van with Volkswagen, but demonstrates the large open side-door for the paramedic (if applicable) to enter the compartment after shutting rear doors, but primarily to facilitate the entry and removing of the wheelchair from the van.