EVs For EVERYONE? Only If Designers Get Their Act Together
I've been around the block when it comes to writing about cars. Well, boats and planes too, if you really must know. I've spent more time than I care to admit behind the wheels of every gasoline and oil-burning monster you can imagine. Lately, the automotive world has me writing about the electric invasion.
Now, I'm all for progress. A little electric zoom here and there adds a bit of spice to life, I suppose. But recently, I've been scratching my head over something called the Callum eVITA. It's one of those electric van thingamajigs designed for wheelchair users. I'm told it's a real marvel of modern engineering and has the potential to be a total game-changer. All good things... in theory.
Don't get me wrong, the eVITA seems like it has a few bright sparks in the engineering department. They've squeezed a 50 kWh battery into its tiny body, giving it an estimated 200 miles (322 km) of range. Not stellar, but it'll get you where you need to go. It even charges super fast because they stuck not one, but two charging ports in the thing.
But here's where I start to lose enthusiasm. The whole concept screams practicality on the surface, but I have some, um... concerns. They tell me this clever contraption is built for wheelchair users. That means a fancy tailgate ramp for easy loading, and that's a good start. Now, thankfully I've not spent much time in a wheelchair, but I imagine once you're inside, you probably want a good view of the road ahead.
The geniuses behind this marvel of engineering have decided to stick the wheelchair user behind the other passengers - just as it has been done pretty much forever. That means this vehicle is not for wheelchair users - it is designed for transporting wheelchair users. It’s a slight but significant difference. Trust me, I know - I faced spending the rest of my life in one and honestly - even in the wheelchair, I'm not a backseat rider. And so are many people who use wheelchairs on a daily basis.
Let's talk about the size of this eVITA thing. The designers claim it has a footprint similar to a Citroen Berlingo. That's about 178 inches (4,520 mm) long and about as wide as a garden shed – 75 inches (1,908 mm). Yet, somehow, those magicians at Callum have managed to make the interior feel relatively spacious - the giant glass roof helps a lot.
The place for the wheelchair itself is clever - the rear climate controls are ingenious and the whole arrangement around the utility bar is spot on. The folding seat right next to where the wheelchair goes can come handy in many situations. And then there is the sheer amount of storage around - there’s never enough storage in real life, and the eVITA gets extra kudos from me for the effort.
Before I get accused of lacking heart, let me say: the idea of an accessible electric van is brilliant! Brilliant and desperately needed at that. This eVITA concept is definitely a step in the right direction. It might even handle okay, thanks to all those floor-mounted batteries giving it a low center of gravity.
If this eVITA concept is the automotive world's solution to accessible EVs, we have a problem. It's like those tiny airplane seats. It gets the job done, but does it make anyone happy? I don't think so. It's time for carmakers to start thinking about real people, not just range figures and funky door arrangements. Let's bring back a bit of old-fashioned common sense, shall we? It might just revolutionize the whole EV revolution.
As a replacement for wheelchair-bound passengers, eVITA is a huge improvement on the currently available solutions. There is no doubt it will mean a world of difference both to the passenger and the driver. I just hope this is only a beginning, a first vehicle designed from ground-up to serve the less able among us. I hope it’ll be followed by another one for those wheelchair users who want to drive their cars, or at least sit in the front. I hope eVITA is not the “this is it” - while a quick pat on the shoulders is well deserved, it is time to go back to the drawing board.
Yours truly,
Captain Electro
