Project D3 is an innovative concept for an electric car designed for the paraplegic and quadriplegic, introducing two major novelties. First, a person can enter and control the vehicle without having to leave the wheelchair or use a ramp, which saves time and gives the driver considerable autonomy. Secondly, the car can accommodate one extra passenger, unlike other vehicles of this type.
The project has been developed for Korres Engineering - an Athens based company founded by Dimitris Korres - by architect Konstantinos Malandrinos and Thanos Pappas, a senior student at the Department of Product & Systems Design of the University of the Aegean.The vehicle will be a heavy quadricycle, equipped with a unique suspension system designed by Korres Engineering, to provide a balanced ride even on rough terrain. Almost any wheelchair (electric or not) available on the market can fit inside the car. A joystick control system may be used by quadriplegics, but there will be other versions with a handlebar for paraplegics.
The project is still under development and there are plans for a full-scale working prototype. Initial production cost is estimated to reach € 12,000 – 15,000 but a mass production line is expected to substantially reduce costs.
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