Micromobility provider Dott has successfully tested the first prototype of its adapted e-scooter for wheelchair users in Paris today.
In a new partnership with French accessibility startup Omni, Dott is developing a vehicle for those living with a disability.
Dubbed the OmniTrotter, the scooter can fit to the user’s regular wheelchair. It features lower handlebars to the height of a person sitting in a wheelchair and a modified speed controller allowing a slower and steadier departure. The handlebars have also been brought forward for better comfort and to avoid pain in the arms and shoulders.
Following the successful experiment, a first fleet of 10 adapted scooters will be deployed in Paris before the end of the year.
Dott is also co-financing 55% of the rental price of 30 OmniTrotters, as part of long-term rental trial in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille and Grenoble. This is because the cost can be a barrier for some users.
Dott’s Co-Founder and COO Maxim Romain told Zag Daily: “We want as many people as possible to benefit from the availability, affordability and reliability of our vehicles, and this project is really significant in providing wheelchair users with more freedom to move around their cities effortlessly, and independently. We hope it will make a real difference to the daily lives of these new users.”
Catherine Godin, a 66-year-old pensioner who is using an adapted e-scooter, said: “I use it every day! It’s great fun. I don’t get tired and I’m less limited in my journeys. When I have to go to Lyon, I take my e-scooter. I also use it to go to my son’s house which is 15 km away. For longer trips, I use it in addition to my car.”
For the bigger picture on how Dott is making its vehicles accessible to everyone, we spoke exclusively with Dott’s CEO Henri Moissinac.
