Super lightweight mobility scooters?

[Spareincoming]

Do they really exist and can anyone make any recommendations? Or tell me where to begin?

I’d suggest less than 18kg and it needs to fit in a car boot - they have the Mazda that’s actually a Ford Ka in disguise. Quite the ask I suspect!

One of my parents is undergoing chemo and has a number of co-morbidities and whilst they are stubborn and determined to keep they are now finding their legs are letting them down.
They have tasked me with finding a super lightweight mobility scooter as they will not be able to lift it into the car boot and the other parent will have to do that.
The other parent is not capable of lifting too much. My smaller DC is 18kg and that’s the limit I’d say.

Thank you.

I believe there are attachments you can add to a car where electric power lifts the scooter into your boot for you.

Not sure where one would get one installed. Maybe start with the dealership of the brand of car?

The attachment was a kind of mini electric crane and you hook the mobility scooter on to it and press the button to run it

There are some new ultralight folding electric wheelchairs which meet your spec.

I have a Dashi – it's amazing. I've also looked at an Airfold.

Both come in under 17kg with the battery on, and less if you remove the battery.

https://www.mobilityco.co.uk/airfold-powerchair.html
https://dashrehab.co.uk/dashi-mg/

They're not cheap!

The other solution, as PP have said, is to fit a hoist in the car, although that does limit you to the one vehicle.

Another option is a lightweight scooter - google should show you plenty - which comes apart fairly straightforwardly into components you can lift separately.

I don't usually have a helper, so for me the foldable chair is best. But if your parent is usually out with you, then they can sit comfortably in the car while you juggle the parts.

The big thing to be aware of is the difference between lead acid batteries (cheaper, much heavier), and lithium batteries, (much lighter, give you greater range). Generally the scooter/chair is designed for one or the other and you can't switch between them.

But if your parents are usually out together, in their own car, then it's probably best to plan to fit a hoist (assuming it fits in their car!).

After that they'll have more freedom about which scooter/chair to buy, as lifting it in person is no longer part of the plan.

I is t know about the Mazda but a Ford Ka is tiny so I suspect this is going to be a difficult find. Does it have to be a scooter? A wheelchair would be easier to lift and for into a small car.

If by any chance you have a local mobility shop, nothing beats going to try things out.

If the staff are experienced and helpful they can be a godsend. They'll be very used to people arriving knowing nothing at all about mobility kit, and helping them get to grips with the options.

My wife uses a Careco Minimus. It's a really good lightweight scooter that folds down to the size of a small suitcase. Here's a link :-

Thank you everyone; you’ve given me a lot to think about.

@Mosaic123 I’m gently suggesting the crane hoist but so far it’s been firmly rejected.

@PerkingFaintly i wish they would entertain a chair as I’ve much more experience of chairs due to my line of work and think it would be better long term but they have declared they’d rather be house bound than have a chair.
Which is nothing short of insulting and infuriating.
They have a shop nearby and the healthy parent has suggested a visit on several occasions; ailing parent will not go; despite needing aids for around the house now
which the store also sell; and believes I can find the perfect thing online, even if I say I can’t. Or fail to do so.
The fact they have acknowledged they are challenged by their mobility or lack there of is a massive step forward after 3 years of gradual decline which has sped up lately

@ironman1401 thank you. I had seen that one online today.

Thanks again folks.

Just purchased a Monarch Solax today. Manual folding ones are about £600 to £800 second hand. Auto folding ones are another £600 on top.

Very easy to fold (I am disabled and can do it myself). Weight with batteries 21kg or 18kg without.

First test run today gave me 3.5 miles on one used battery but I am
heavy; a lighter person would get more mileage.

Hope this helps.

Have a look at motorbility, it's not just for cars they have various scooters and chairs.

IF your parents are not entitled to PIP it's still worth visiting the site to see what is on offer.

Don't forget to look at insurance.

Also look at your council, lots of things can be supplied for free but if you do buy then you should not pay VAT.

@cushcosh thank you for that suggestion; I have had a couple of positive responses to emails about second hand/refurbished ones off the back of your post.

@sashh Thanks for the suggestion of @Motability; there’s a few possibilities but I need to do more research!
Whilst my parent is no doubt entitled to PIP and has been for sometime, they will not apply and the other parent dares not suggest it now as the tantrum and subsequent sulking is unbearable. We’ve had years of head burying and denial so this step towards a scooter seems like a revelation!
I know I sound quite negative but the denial and head burying and associated behaviour has ground the healthy parent and myself down significantly over the years.

We, well I, did quite a lot of research and DH ended up with

https://movinglife.co.uk/products/atto-sport

Not the cheapest but brilliantly manoeuvrable esp indoors. It fits easily into even small boots because splits into two, each section below 20kg. Assembles with a satisfying clunk that indicates good quality design.

It's often admired when we are out and about, I find myself turfing him off it (into a chair, I'm not a monster) to show people how easy it is to collapse and build up.

Disadvantages is not great on uneven surfaces and no good at all off road.

At some point, DH is going to have to resign himself to getting a car suitable for one of these self loading ones

https://www.quingoscooters.com/product/flyte/

Hope you find what you need.

I do recognise what you say about denial and head burying. I ended up saying that I wanted a stair lift for myself to be prepared.

Imagine the look on the guy's face who came to measure up (at least at first) to find the lift was supposed to be for the obviously mobile resident while there was someone barely able to walk in the background

He was brilliant , played along with me and then at some point DH had observed enough and was after all prepared to get involved, be measured etc.

So much so that I suspect it is much more common that we image. It's not just my DH reluctant to accept this, it's pretty much everyone everywhere.

That's a very stylish scooter, FinallyHere!

I'm loving all these links for snazzy kit. Almost enough to induce buyer's remorse at getting my Dashi – but not quite.

Can I ask, what's the ride like on that three-wheeler, FinallyHere? Is it better or worse than a four-wheeler on, say cobbles?

(Sorry for hijacking your thread, OP.)

That's a very astute question, @PerkingFaintly

The Atto needs a pretty smooth surface, at its best indoors navigating the aisles. A smooth outdoor paved area round a lake or garden centre fine too.

Cobbles probably not. May technically be possible but unlikely to be comfortable. Sigh.

I have had two of these (both bought second hand) - Strider ST1 Portable Mobility Scooter (mobilitysmart.co.uk). I chose the Strider because I can break it apart myself into four pieces (seat, engine, battery, carcass) and pick up each section alone to stow it in the boot of my car. That is quite hard work - but if that is all I have to do as then I can sit down, that is OK for me. I have taken the basket off mine and it fits comfortably into the boot of a Honda Jazz with a couple of day backpacks on top.

Ah. That's a shame.

If finances ever allow, I'd love to pick up a secondhand scooter which could handle slightly rougher surfaces – not country tracks, just our dodgy pavements and the park and there's a bit of untarred road it would be convenient to get down wwi-tth-outtt ggo-ingg lii-kkke thi-sss.

Please please get you parent to try out a couple of scooters before buying one. Whilst in certain circumstances they can be a great help, they are not the magic fix it a lot of people think they are.
The issue with the light folding ones is that they tend to be quite bone-shaky - very little to no suspension and small wheels, so they literally rattle you which can exacerbate joint/muscle pain. The lighter the scooter the bigger the bone shake!
Also paths & pavements are often a lot less level and even that you think as a fully mobile person. And 'dropped kerbs' often still have a slight lip that can make things feel a bit tippy if you approach anything other than head on.
If you don't want the sales pressure of trying one out via a mobility shop, hire one for the day - can be done very reasonably through shopmobility which has locations all over the UK in town centres as we as lots of other places.

Thank you for all the help; my parent finally decided on a carbon fibre folding scooter after having a 3 day trial- it arrives the middle of next week.
A question though, if the scooter had to be left outside a cafe for example, how do folks secure them? A bike lock type arrangement? I know they have a key but a lightweight one could be carried away!

With my scooter I tend to just remove the key, though it's always a concern on the rare occasions I actually get up and leave it.

For my wheelchair (no key) I have a padlock and a long cable from Halfords. There was a MNer who had their wheelchair stolen from outside a shop, and it sparked a thread where several posters knew of similar incidents, so I daren't take the risk.

Again, these things are easier with two than one - scooter user gets off at door, second person moves it to somewhere more easily secured.

Although if the scooter folds easily enough, they might be able to just take it into the cafe? They'll start to get a feel for what's possible after a while.

I hope it proves a wonderful purchase and your parent gets a bit of going-out joy back in their life!

but if you do buy then you should not pay VAT. An important reminder for everyone. I can buy shoes and slippers for Dad without paying VAT

…. Because he needs extra-wide fittings from Cosytoes because of oedema

I mentioned this before but do please get insurance, not just in case the scooter is stolen but because they can cause a lot of damage to both the rider and other people in an accident.