WHILL Merges With Scootaround

Personal Electric Vehicle maker and personal transportation company look at establishing a global Mobility-as-a-Service business.

• By David Kopf
• Aug 22, 2019

Maker of power wheelchairs — which it bills as Personal Electric Vehicles (EVs) — WHILL has merged with personal transportation company Scootaround and will work toward a shared vision of creating a worldwide platform for providing Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS).

Essentially, MaaS integrates various forms of transport services, including assistive devices such as WHILL's EVs, into a single, on-demand mobility service. WHILL and Scootaround service will combine WHILL’s EVs, such as the Model Ci and Model A with Scootaround’s worldwide rental, repair and mobility management services. The service would then deliver rentable, “last-mile” transportation to mobility users in areas with heavy traffic, such as large venues, airports, theme parks and hospitals.

“Our partnership with Scootaround is a huge step towards evolving the worldwide mobility transportation industry,” said Satoshi Sugie, founder and CEO of WHILL. “We are taking WHILL’s technology — unlike any other mobility technology out there — and combining it with the best mobility and rental service from Scootaround to create a world that will help people with mobility issues increase their independence and experience the world as they would like, free from any past mobility constraints.”

“We are very active in the mobility market and joining forces with WHILL and its cutting-edge mobility technology was a progressive move to meet the market demand for enhanced service and superior products,” said Kerry Renaud, CEO and managing director of Scootaround. “Together, we are allowing someone who requires a form of mobility assistance to travel seamlessly from their origin to final destination — whether that be at the airport, at their hotel, residence, resort, and so on.”

WHILL’s Model Ci Personal EV will soon be available through Scootaround’s partnerships with leading airlines, cruise lines and convention centers.

And of course, the chairs are available for purchase. The Model Ci is currently priced at $4,999 and comes with a one-year warranty on the chair's omni-wheels and battery. New color options include navy blue and red.