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A mobility scooter is a mobility aid equivalent to a wheelchair but configured like a motorscooter. It is often referred to as a power-operated vehicle/scooter or electric scooter as well. ==Description== A mobility scooter has a seat over three, four or now five wheels, a flat area or foot plates for the feet, and handlebars or a delta-style steering arrangement in front to turn one, two or three steerable wheels. The seat may swivel to allow access when the front is blocked by the handlebars. Mobility scooters are usually battery powered. A battery or two is stored on board the scooter and is charged via an onboard or separate battery charger unit from standard electric power. Gasoline-powered scooters may also be available in some countries, though they are rapidly being replaced by electric models. The tiller, with forward/reverse directions and speed controls, is the steering column centrally located at the front of the scooter. The tiller may contain other features as well, for example a speed limiter, lighting controls (for nighttime use) and turning signals. A battery use indicator is also often included. Forward/reverse direction can be controlled by thumb paddles, finger controls, or a switch. There are two types of mobility scooters: front-wheel drive (FD) or rear-wheel drive (RD). The FD is usually a smaller device and is best used indoors. Rider weight capacity is generally upwards to maximum. The RD is used both indoors and outdoors with rider weight capacity of . A heavy duty rear-drive can carry up to , varying by manufacturer. The first crude mobility scooter was introduced in 1954 and was billed by Sears as an electric wheel chair, but it was more in common with mobility scooter with its large seat, extra large battery capacity and three wheel design. It was not a commercial success.〔("Electric Wheel Chair." ) ''Popular Mechanics'', November 1954, P. 101.〕 Mobility scooters come in various types: · small, light scooters for travel, which fold or are easily disassembled into smaller parts for transport; · large, heavy scooters for rough outdoor terrain; · mid-range scooters, which are intended for both indoor and outdoor use. Usually mid-range mobility scooters have a speed of about . 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mobility scooter」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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