E-MOBILITY: SCOOTERS AND POWER WheelCHAIRS
Is self-determination particularly important to you? Do you want to be able to move around everywhere effortlessly, even over long journeys? With Drive DeVilbiss electric scooters that is possible, easily. Our scooters will support your independence and combine well thought-out functionality with a health aid. We are experts in electric mobility.
Power Wheelchair Airfold
SCOOTER OR POWERCHAIR?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
When choosing an electrically-operated aid, a question which is frequently raised is what is the difference between scooters and powerchairs. We would like to offer some assistance here, when the question about the right electric mode of transport for elderly people arises.
Power Wheelchairs
The powerchair is the aid of choice when you rely on permanent support in everyday life. A powerchair can be used both indoors and outdoors and is also useful for individuals whose motor system from the hips upwards is limited, as powerchairs can be controlled with a joystick instead of a steering column.
Scooters
Scooters are the ideal support, if you are mobile, but longer distances pose a challenge. A scooter has a larger radius of movement than a powerchair and can often cover a distance at a higher speed.
Most scooters are also very versatile. Whether it’s in the city, in the countryside, at work or on uneven ground, our scooters have been developed for universal use.
SPEED, DRIVING LICENCE, REGISTRATION AND INSURANCE
Scooters are electrically-driven patient chairs, which usually have four wheels and a seat. Anyone who has the cognitive skills and is only limited physically can use a scooter to cope with their everyday life. Generally, for all scooters, the driver must be cognitively in a position to be part of road traffic and not endanger other road users.
The same regulations apply to scooters and powerchairs. Driving, registering and insurance of a scooter or powerchair depends on the maximum speed of the patient chair. A scooter or powerchair is considered to be a patient chair, if it moves at a maximum speed of 15 kph. Scooters and powerchairs up to 6kph can be driven with no limit on age. They also do not need to be registered and can be driven on pavements and cycle paths.
Scooters over 6 kph may only be driven by those aged 15 or over and require motor vehicle registration. As a patient chair above 6 kph can be driven on the road, all scooters or powerchairs over 6 kph require liability insurance. The scooter must have an insurance sticker (e.g. moped). However, as patient chairs, scooters or powerchairs are exempt from motor vehicle tax and are therefore tax-free.
Where can you drive scooters and powerchairs? Can you transport scooters on public transport?
Drive DeVilbiss patient chairs with a maximum speed of 6 kph are not subject to registration, i.e. they can be used without helmet, safety belt, driving licence and liability insurance. You can drive on all paths.
In built-up areas driving on pavements or cycle paths is recommended. If there is no cycle path, then the road may be used. The scooter may also be used in pedestrian areas. Consideration must be given to other road users at all times. Away from built-up areas, only pavements or cycle paths may be used.
Scooters which have the pictogram for public transport affixed, are authorised for transport on public transport. All Drive DeVilbiss aid scooters are authorised for public transport. You can also identify our scooters which are authorised for public transport by the public transport pictogram on the product pages.
WHICH SCOOTER IS THE RIGHT ONE FOR ME?
A scooter is an electrically-driven patient vehicle with a captain seat and four wheels as standard. It stands out from the crowd through its simple operation and with its large range can significantly expand the operating range of individuals with limited mobility. Whether it’s a drive through the park, a shopping trip to the city or a visit to see friends: Scooters are extremely versatile and score highly in terms of driving fun, safety and comfort. To be able to go shopping, visit the doctor or visit friends without assistance signifies quality of life. Elderly people and individuals with limited mobility can use a scooter to get to their destination more easily or additionally be used as a rollator, e.g. for larger distances.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCOOTERS?
The best way to work out which is the right scooter is to work with a dealer. There are a few criteria which can be used to determine the right scooter. When doing this you must consider your living conditions. Important selection criteria for a scooter include battery power, authorisation for use on public transport, range, suspension and tyres and the size of the scooter.
We often hear questions about the range of a scooter. It is impossible to provide a general answer to that question. The range depends on many different factors, such as, for example, user weight, distance, battery power and even the ambient temperature. Your dealer will be happy to advise you.
WILL MY POWERCHAIR OR SCOOTER BE PAID FOR BY THE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY?
Scooters up to 6 km/h, which are authorised as aids, will be subsidised by the health insurance company under certain circumstances. For this, you will need a doctor’s prescription.
Under certain circumstances, the health insurance company will pay the cost for an aid scooter which is prescribed, either in full or in part. Please note that not every scooter is an authorised aid. At DeVilbiss you can identify a scooter which is an authorised aid through the HMW number as well as the HMV pictogram. The following prerequisites must be fulfilled to apply to the health insurance compnay for a scooter as an aid:
- The scooter compensates for a disability, i.e. it relieves or rectifies the disability or corrects it
- Severely limited walking ability, so that basic needs including carrying out day-to-day tasks can no longer be fulfilled with the remaining walking ability
- A manual wheelchair cannot be used and other aids (e.g. rollators) are not adequate
- It is possible to operate the scooter from a physical and mental point of view
- There must be a weather-proof and theft-proof storage option
- Coverage area in accordance with the recommendations in § 126 SGB V (social security statute book): 18 A
Not every aid scooter will be paid automatically after prescription by the health insurance company. The dealer can deduce the appropriate aid scooter from the doctor’s prescription and depending on the user and their living conditions can work out the appropriate scooter. The dealer then sends a cost estimate for the scooter together with the prescription to the health insurance company, who will ultimately decide whether they will subsidise the scooter and to what extent.
In order to identify the right scooter, the living conditions of the user must be looked at carefully. If the user needs to cover greater distances, the scooter should have sufficient range, a powerful rechargeable battery pack, good suspension as well as a comfortable seat. Especially with journeys with lots of slopes, you must make sure there is sufficient power. If the user is driving the scooter predominantly on paths such as gravel, soil or sand, then pneumatic tyres as well as good suspension are also important criteria. When used in the city, the ideal scooter is one which is authorised for use on public transport and which is designed to be as compact as possible. Our scooters fulfil all these requirements, are stylish, powerful and reliable.
OUR TWO SCOOTER AIDS
CHARGE SCOOTERS QUICKLY AND EASILY
Sustainability and protecting the environment are no longer side issues and affect us all. As a result, every individual tries to make a contribution to climate protection. In particular, vehicles are among the main causes of air pollution and emissions, which damage the environment. Nevertheless there is a growing desire for a larger radius of movement in our society and the need to achieve this in an environmentally-friendly way.
The new trend is electric power. To protect our global resources and expand our efficiency, the whole world and we at Drive DeVilbiss too are increasingly counting on electric forms of transport. However, sustainability is not a trend for us, it is more of a mission that affects us all.
Electric scooters not only encourage greater flexibility, but are also a low-emission, environmentally-friendly form of transport.
With electric scooters from Drive DeVilbiss you reduce greenhouse gases, improve air quality and contribute to climate protection. At the same time you can enjoy your newly-acquired, unlimited freedom to the full with a clear conscience.
HOW DO I CHARGE MY SCOOTER OR POWERCHAIR?
Charging electric forms of transport is already widespread both nationally and internationally and is no longer a novelty in our daily life. But did you know that charging Drive DeVilbiss electric scooters is particularly easy and can be carried out on the move? They can be charged using any standard household socket with the charging cable included with the delivery. This means you are soon ready for your next adventure. The batteries in our scooters charge quickly and reliably and provide you with enough power for extended excursions and adventurous jaunts.
