What is the best wheelchair power add on or wheelchair power attachment?

October 11th, 2016

We are the leading supplier of wheelchair power attachments and wheelchair power add-on devices in the UK and Ireland.

We have researched and tested the best wheelchair power add on products available today and are proud of the wide range of wheelchair power options that we offer. Wheelchair power add on devices are designed to give you all the benefits and functionality of a power chair while using your own wheelchair. There are a vast range of wheelchair power add on options available in the market and it can be difficult to decide which power attachment or wheelchair power add on is suitable for you and your needs and preferences.

You may ask yourself;

What is the best wheelchair power add on for me?
Which wheelchair power add on is suitable for my wheelchair?
Which wheelchair power add-on will suit my abilities?
Where will I be mainly using it?
Will I want to travel abroad with it?

Different manufacturers have different approaches to offering you a wheelchair power add on;

Some integrate power and batteries into the wheels of your wheelchair
Some are wheelchair power attachments that clip on to your wheelchair
The Smartdrive MX2+ hooks on to the crossbar underneath your wheelchair

We think it is impossible to judge what is perfect for you without actually trying it first! For this reason we are delighted to offer FREE home demonstrations throughout the UK and Ireland - all completely without any obligation to purchase of course. You can discuss your ideas with any of our Product Specialists before their visit, and you can of course choose to put anything to the test in a local park, a nearby hill or any specific terrain that you need to navigate!

Our range includes these amazing bits of kit;

Smartdrive MX2+ The wheelchair power assist that sits under your chair and controlled by bluetooth watch!
Triride range of wheelchair power attachments
Firefly wheelchair power attachment - clips on to a manual wheelchair and converts it to a powered trike
E Dragonfly hybrid wheelchair power and manual handcycle attachment
Alber E Motion NEW M25 model - wheelchair power add on (integrated into wheels)
Alber E Fix E35 wheelchair power add ons - converts manual wheelchair to electric wheelchair
Wheeldrive - Wheelchair Power assist

There is some helpful info below regarding the range and links through to further info but you can call us for a chat anytime on 028 92 67 70 77.

Smartdrive MX2+ Wheelchair Power Add on

The SmartDrive MX2+ wheelchair power add on is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use and is controlled using the very clever bluetooth controlled watch! It sits underneath your wheelchair on the crossbar and is very easy to remove and put back in place with just one hand (for those active users who have the ability to reach to back of wheelchair) which also means it is very convenient for placing into the car when on the go. It is capable of getting you up steep hills and rough terrain and it is compatible with both rigid and folding frame wheelchairs. The SmartDrive MX2+ is a compact wheelchair power add on and weighs only 5.6 kg!

The Smartdrive MX2+ wheelchair power add on has two modes; With mode 1 the power assist kicks in when you start turning the wheels and stops when you hold the rims. Whereas, mode 2 known as cruise control takes over once you get going and the speed depends on the push. To stop in cruise control mode you must use the controls on the Bluetooth watch. You must have the cognitive ability to control the SmartDrive MX2+ it e.g. if you go to hold the rims to slow down the smart drive sense resistance and therefore gives it more drive – you must use the control watch in this case. The manufacturer states that the drive unit and wristband have passed industry climate testing – considered rain/splash proof although complete submersion in water will cause malfunction.

Powerful – Cruises up hills and over thick carpet
Intuitive – Push to go. Tap brake to stop. It’s that simple
Simple – Turn on and go all day without charging
Flexible – Moves with you for wheelies and curbs
Lightweight – So light, you won’t even know it’s there and easy to put on and take off

What wheelchairs are compatible with the SmartDrive MX2+ Power Add-On?

Fits a range of wheel diameters of 24”, 25”, 26”
Fits 13”– 20” seat widths.
Fits both rigid and folding manual wheelchairs

Firefly Wheelchair Power Attachment

The Firefly wheelchair power add on is an electric power attachment on that clips on to the front of most rigid frame wheelchairs and even some folding models of manual wheelchairs. The Firefly is limited to a maximum speed of 8 mph at the factory but the limiter is easily removed to increase the speed to a maximum of 12.5 MPH.

Key features

Clips on and off your existing wheelchair in seconds
Fits to folding and rigid frame wheelchairs
Go twice the speed of a power wheelchair where allowed
Takes you anywhere you want, including hills and over grass
Loads easily in any car
Maximum user weight 115kg
Chrome Red Frame Colour
Dual Disk Brakes
CE Marked Medical Device
Available on Cycle to Work Scheme

Power

Battery: lithium ion, Panasonic GA cells, 36 volt * 7 amp hours = 252 watt hours
Battery Range: >15 miles/24 km
New compact charger: 36V, 2A output (UL, AUS & CE)
New upgraded 3 pin charging port
Charging Time: ~3 hours if battery is fully discharged
Battery has a USB-A charging port and is essentially mobile device power bank
Motor: 350W, 36V geared, brushless hub motor w/ reinforced hybrid nylon/ steel gears
Motor wire: exits from the axle at the frame instead of the axle end to reduce wire damage
Motor rim: integrated wide rim to match the wide tire profile for maximum traction!

Firefly on children's wheelchairs

We can supply a smaller frame for use on children's wheelchairs. This is suitable for wheelchairs that are between 10" and 12" wide. Call us on 028 92 633 798 for a chat about this if needed. For children under 14 resident in the UK you must opt in for the speed limited control box option to limit top speed to 4 MPH.

Access to Work scheme

Previous customers have used the Access to Work scheme to fund their Firefly. You can call us on 028 92 633 798 for more info about this option.

Airline information

The Firefly comes with an airline approval certificate which demonstrates that the batteries are safe for airline travel. You should however contact your airline prior to travelling rather than simply relying on these documents as various airlines have differing policies.

Want to some exercise too? Check out the E Dragonfly hybrid wheelchair power add on!

The E-Dragonfly combines both battery power and a manual handcycle option! - Check it out here

Triride Wheelchair Power Attachments

Triride wheelchair power attachments are the leading European wheelchair power attachments - they look great and perform even better! We offer the full Triride range in the UK and Ireland and offer free trials and demonstrations so you can ensure it is right for you! The range typically offers enhanced power and range than the Firefly and are particularly suited to those who need to go further and tackle tougher terrain.

Alber E Motion M25 - New model

NEW E-motion M25 – the push rim activated add-on that takes the strain off!

This is the latest model of the incredible E-Motion wheelchair power add on system from Alber and significantly lighter than the previous models. The concept of the E-motion is ingeniously simple: While moving, sensors built into the push rims measure your drive movement and provide you with the desired motor power. E-motion drive wheels are compatible with most wheelchairs using two discrete adapters. This allows you to move, steer and brake your wheelchair with very little effort. With a weight of only 7.8 kg per drive wheel, the e-motion is one of the lightest active add-on drives available. Mastering everyday life often requires considerably more physical effort for wheelchair drivers.This effort sometimes becomes almost unsustainable with progressing age or illness. The Alber E-Motion M25 electric add-on drive is the ideal solution to master this challenge

How does it work?

Every pulse on the push rim is registered by a highly sensitive sensor and translated into the perfect amount of electric power assistance. As a result propelling a manual wheelchair becomes much easier. The electric motors that are integrated in the wheel hubs effectively support the wheelchair user which has to put in much less effort to travel greater distances or slopes.

Alber E-Fix E35 Joystick controlled wheelchair power add on

The Alber E-fix M35 wheelchair power add on converts a manual wheelchair in to a highly portable, lightweight joystick drive electric wheelchair. This is ideal for users who require a joystick to control the power and may not have the ability to manually control the wheels themselves.

Key features

Your manual wheelchair becomes a lightweight electric wheelchair
Small and compact, turns on the spot and is suitable for confined spaces
Easy to dismantle, it finds space in the back of any car
Ideal for transport, as no single component weighs more than 7.8 kg
Drive up to 16 km with one battery charge
Speed can be varied continuously from 0.6 to 6 km/h
Very easy to use, thanks to clever details like the ''EasyConnex'' magnetic plug
Your wheelchair is simply retrofitted with the e-fix components – and you are ready to drive.

Wheeldrive wheelchair power assist

The WheelDrive wheelchair power add on features a unique dual rim concept. The large ‘assist rim’ provides extra power assistance while self-propelling your wheelchair. Choose from three support levels, each with their own specific driving characteristics. The small ‘drive rim’ gives you continuous drive at three speed levels - like a 'joystick on the wheel.' There is no effort required. Naturally, switching between both rims is easy. So you always get exactly the support you need! Using your wheelchair with WheelDrive power assist wheels feels very natural - it is very much like regular self-propelling. You can easily switch the system on and off. Determine the level of support or speed you want and you will soon find how easy it is to switch between both rims. The top speed is 10 km/h assist rim / 6 km/h drive rim. When driving down a slope, the motors will brake automatically - for maximum safety and security.