Adaptive Mobility Systems has introduced the Maxvan Pathway RV, an accessible recreational vehicle for the adventurous wheelchair user.
The Maxvan Pathway RV is built on the Dodge Ram ProMaster 3500 van chassis and comes standard with several accessibility features for wheelchair users. The Pathway features a hybrid rear-entry ramp that is both a manual fold-down and electric. When not in use, the electric portion of the ramp rises up flush with the level of the interior floor. The Pathway’s wheelchair tie-down restraints are positioned in the middle of the vehicle. For those who prefer transferring to a seat, the passenger seat swivels 180 degrees for transfers.
The Pathway RV’s enhanced accessibility options include an available overhead-track system for use of a portable lift. The track system provides access to the bathroom and can be adjusted to access the bed and passenger seat. Maxvan bumped out one side of the ProMaster chassis, which allows for a 40-inch aisle that should let most wheelchair users to turn around while inside the van. The Pathway was designed primarily for nondisabled drivers.
The Pathway RV is also equipped with a sliding couch that converts to a bed, a cassette bathroom with commode and shower, a refrigerator, sink, kitchen cooktop and an electric generator.
The Maxvan Pathway RV has a base price of $119,800. For more information, visit Maxvan.com.
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Do you realize that some of us in wheelchairs actually drive their vans, and aren’t always just a passenger? This is the 3rd RV I’ve seen where the person in the wheelchair cannot transfer into the drivers seat. Why is this designed without the disabled driver in mind please?
Yes, absolutely. I want to be able to drive.
Yes you are 1000% it seems that there is effort to sales the most expensive vans they can to disabled people. At the same time make disable less active! We demand to be more productive not less!
Anardo,
I understand your concerns, and I want to assure you that our intention is never to make our products out of reach for those who need them. As the National Sales Manager for our company, I am committed to ensuring our offerings are both accessible and fairly priced.
The Winnebago Roam, our nearest competitor, is priced at $165,000, while our base price is $125,000. If you research the Class B RV market, you’ll find that these vans are quite expensive. The chassis alone costs $60,000, which we do not mark up. We charge $65,000 for a fully-equipped RV coach that includes a shower, toilet, bed, kitchen, and more. For comparison, Braun charges over $90,000 for a new Chrysler Pacifica minivan. In this context, I believe we offer extremely competitive pricing.
Every part of our RV is designed and built in-house, and each vehicle is hand-built by a dedicated team of three craftsmen. We sell our RVs factory direct because involving dealers often leads to significant price increases. By keeping our process direct, we focus on minimizing costs for our customers.
Our skilled team takes three months to build each unit, and manufacturing costs have risen due to economic factors. Despite these challenges, we sell wheelchair-accessible minivans directly from the factory, typically offering prices that are $10,000 to $15,000 less than any mobility dealer selling similar products.
Moreover, we provide customers with the option to send us their own vans (as long as they are models, we convert), which Braun and VMI generally do not allow. Their policies often limit consumers to purchasing what’s available on the dealer’s showroom floor, whereas we offer the flexibility to convert a family’s existing van.
Before assuming that our company seeks to take advantage of people, I encourage you to research the market and understand the options available. As a company that proudly serves the disabled community, it is against our values to make things less accessible, whether physically or economically speaking.
Thank you for considering our perspective and understanding our commitment to providing valuable and affordable solutions to the community we serve.
Warm regards,
Todd J. Tankersley
National Sales Manager
Brian,
I understand your concerns and appreciate the chance to explain our design choices. While it may be redundant for some, I believe it’s important to clarify why our design is for passengers only.
The Ram ProMaster does not come with factory power doors, which means we would have to install aftermarket power door motors. In our rear-entry design, wheelchair users would need to remotely stow and deploy the ramp and open and close the doors. Our company, a leader in structural modifications since 1979, began manufacturing wheelchair-accessible vans in the ’90s. Back then, installing aftermarket power door openers proved unreliable, often trapping wheelchair users inside or outside the van.
That’s why we focus on reliability and cater to passengers. Different companies target different needs. For example, the Winnebago Roam can be driven by those who can transfer into a 6-way power transfer seat, but it’s not designed for those who need to drive directly from their wheelchair. Like us, they face limitations when modifying existing vehicles.
Designing a one-size-fits-all solution presents challenges, and companies don’t aim to exclude anyone. We focus on creating accessible RVs with ample room and comfort. Our design bumps out the driver’s side by 8 inches, allowing for most power chairs to turn 360 degrees inside. Our larger beds are key for comfort, especially for those who need to rest during travel. A twin bed is not going to accommodate a 300-pound person that needs to be bedridden during a long journey.
Furthermore, the slide-out bed’s placement behind the driver seat (for the reasons mentioned above) doesn’t allow for a 6-way power transfer seat base to be installed. Even if the area were clear, a 6- to 8-inch step remains between the cargo area and cockpit due to Chrysler’s design. These constraints are part of what makes a one-size-fits-all design difficult.
With over 40 years of experience in building wheelchair-accessible vans, we know that 99% of the market caters to passengers. Our RVs have significantly improved the quality of life for our customers, from families with disabled children to retired couples traveling to visit grandchildren.
Different companies offer various solutions. Some wheelchair-accessible van manufacturers provide in-floor ramps, while others offer bi-fold ramps. Options exist for removable driver and passenger seats, where some companies only provide a removable passenger side seat. These features are not meant to create obstacles, they rather exist to meet different physical and financial needs.
Understanding comes from research and asking questions, which is why a competitive marketplace thrives. Thank you for your consideration and for recognizing our commitment to providing valuable solutions for those with physical disabilities.
Sincerely,
Todd Tankersley
National Sales Manager
Adaptive Mobility Systems / Maxvan
That all sounds well and good but if I can’t get in my van and drive it you can just keep it
The truck is very beautiful, but it would be more efficient if it could also be driven 👍
Jose; take a look at the Winnebago Roam as they offer an accessible design that is driver capable.
Is there any opportunity to rent this before we buy? I want to make sure it will work for me.
We unfortunately are not equipped as a manufacturer to provides rentals. We offer did look into this; however, the commercial liability insurance was astronomical.
Sounds like yet another case of ABLEISM – from a company that thinks us poor helpless crips can’t drive ourselves… Of course if you can afford a $100K plus RV, you probably won’t have much problem paying for a chauffeur…
Hello, this is Arthur (Todd Tankersley), National Sales Manager for Adaptive Mobility Systems, the manufacturer of the Maxvan RV.
We understand that not all products fit every individual’s needs, which is why the Pathway RV is specifically designed and marketed as a companion-only RV. It is priced several thousand dollars below our nearest competitor, the Winnebago ROAM. For those who need an RV that is driver-capable, Winnebago offers a suitable model.
The base cost of the Ram ProMaster van is $60,000, and our conversion costs $65,000. For comparison, Braun sells new Chrysler Pacificas for $90,000. Our RV design offers a unique approach by utilizing a rear ramp system rather than a side entry hydraulic lift, distinguishing it from anything else on the market.
One of the challenges in making our design driver-capable is that Chrysler does not offer factory power doors. With over 40 years of manufacturing experience, we have learned the importance of reliability. In the early ’90s, when we first began producing wheelchair-accessible minivans, we found that aftermarket power door openers for non-power sliding door Dodge Grand Caravans were unreliable. Therefore, we avoid incorporating features that might compromise dependability.
Our RV features a near queen-size bed that slides out, providing significant room for a wheelchair to move around inside the coach. However, due to the bed’s location, we cannot install a 6-way power transfer seat base, as it would interfere with the driver’s seat. While the Winnebago ROAM offers a design that allows a person with a disability to drive, our focus is on providing a different kind of accessibility and comfort.
Before making assumptions about our commitment to serving individuals with disabilities, I encourage you to research the market to see what is available. We are the second-largest wheelchair-accessible van manufacturer in the U.S., family-owned and operated, and we strive to offer consumers flexibility at competitive prices, often several thousand dollars less than Braun or VMI.
We have received incredible feedback from families with disabled children and retired couples where one partner has a disability. Our RVs provide access to places and experiences that were previously unattainable, which is deeply rewarding to us.
Thank you for understanding our perspective and our commitment to providing valuable solutions to the community we serve.
Thank you so much for making a vehicle like this with the disabled in mind. I want to share an idea that I did with my 2023 Promaster van that you may want to consider. I used the Braun UVL but did not place it under the van. Since this van has a lowered floor in the back cargo area, I had them place the UVL inside then build a floor over the top of the UVL. This then made the floor in the back, the same elevation as the floor for the driver seat and also allowed for side entry. This allows you to then build other parts into the floor that is needed for an RV (ie, electrical, plumbing, ductwork, etc). The interior height is not an issue because you still have plenty of headroom. This also makes the van so you do not have to have an aisle down the middle for a rear exit. As all companies who build products for the disabled, be sure to listen to your audience and seek advice on what works for them. Sure, you cannot build one thing that suits all needs, but you can keep improving.