Chrysler to produce wheelchair accessible Pacifica minivan

by Keith Morgan on Thursday, March 2nd, 2017

Chrysler brand and BraunAbility are joining forces to design a wheelchair-accessible Chrysler Pacifica minivan.

“Whether it’s a veteran, a colleague, friend or a family member, there’s a good chance we all know someone with a physical disability who needs help getting to the places and events that matter most to them,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Cars, Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA North America. “The all-new Chrysler Pacifica is proving to be a lot of things to a lot of people, and now equipped with the BraunAbility technology, it is also the perfect tool to help our customers gain freedom to stay active in their everyday lives.”

The most spacious wheelchair-accessible vehicle in the industry, the BraunAbility Chrysler Pacifica features patent-pending AccessAbility™ technology, including an aerospace-inspired sliding door extension and the industry’s widest side-entry ramp, with rear-axle space innovations and cantilevered seat bases that expand interior cabin space, maximizing space for obstruction-free maneuverability for all sizes and types of wheelchairs. BraunAbility seamlessly integrates with the sophisticated styling of the Chrysler Pacifica. To ensure Chrysler integrity and quality, BraunAbility sources its components through the same suppliers, and crash-tests to the highest automotive standards.

“For over 45 years, BraunAbility and Chrysler have worked together to empower people with physical disabilities, including our founder Ralph Braun, to stay connected to what matters in their lives,” stated Nick Gutwein, President and CEO of BraunAbility. “The need for quality mobility solutions is only going to grow, and we are thrilled to align with Chrysler to launch the innovative and uncompromising BraunAbility Chrysler Pacifica.”

The partnership between Chrysler and BraunAbility includes co-promotion support for the ‘Give a Dog a Job Program’ benefiting Canine Companions for Independence. Trained service dogs are empowering wheelchair users daily by completing everyday activities, including getting in and out of their wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Hundreds are currently on the waitlist to receive a trained assistance dog, which is provided to a person with a disability free of charge.

“BraunAbility and Chrysler Pacifica are a natural fit as a partner for Canine Companions for Independence,” says Canine Companions CEO Paul Mundell. “The synergy between adapted vehicles like the BraunAbility Pacifica and the intelligence and life-changing skills of a Canine Companions assistance dog are seamlessly giving independence — and giving a dog a job.

The BraunAbility Pacifica is the latest in a long line of accessible vehicles engineered between the world leader in mobility and Chrysler. The partnership began more than 45 years ago when BraunAbility founder Ralph Braun, a wheelchair user himself, engineered a hydraulic wheelchair lift and installed it in a full-size Dodge van (a 1972 Dodge B series Ram Van), becoming the world’s first commercialized wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

keith [dot] morgan [at] drivewaybc [dot] ca