A lowered-floor minivan is a minivan that has had the original floor lowered approximately 10 inches. With the touch of a button, the door opens automatically, a ramp folds or slides out and the vehicle "kneels" lower to the ground. Wheelchair seating is available in the front driver and passenger areas, and in the mid-passenger center section of the vehicle. The goal of the lowered-floor minivan is to give wheelchair users the convenience of a minivan, along with plenty of headroom and the ease of using a simple ramp to access the vehicle.
There are two ramp options available: in-floor ramp and foldout ramp. With the in-floor ramp option, the ramp is stowed under the floor of the van, leaving the doorway open and clear. The downside to the in-floor ramp option is that tall sidewalk curbs may keep the ramp from deploying. With the foldout ramp option, the passenger sliding door is blocked for ambulatory passengers when in the stowed position. But because today's minivans are now standard with a driver's side sliding door, this is no longer much of an issue.
Rear-entry vehicles typically allow a wheelchair user to access the mid-passenger area of the vehicle, making transferring from a wheelchair to the driver's seat via a power transfer seat very difficult. However, Braun will soon be releasing the rear-entry Toyota Sienna Rampvan with a newly designed full lowered floor that will allow wheelchair users access to the entire vehicle. Incidentally, the Toyota Sienna Rampvan also offers a 1,434-pound weight carrying capacity, highest among minivans. Weight carrying capacity is a critical element to consider when choosing a vehicle.
In terms of increased interior space, minivans are somewhat impractical for raised roof and raised door modifications. In 2005, Chrysler and Dodge introduced the Stow 'n Go, a design that provides 12 more cubic feet of storage than earlier models. This modification has greatly increased interior space, allowing for more cargo room while improving interior maneuverability.
Lowered floor minivans typically cost $17,000 to $23,000 over and above the cost of the minivan. This high cost is compounded by a lower resale value once the vehicle is converted. Despite the price, the pros of owning an accessible minivan are too great to mention them all. Accessible minivans offer multiple wheelchair positions and are incredibly easy to use for both the transporter and the person driving from their wheelchair. With minivans now as common as almonds in Chico, the once hugely obvious "handicap" vehicle now blends with the rest of the traffic.
