First Factory Built MV-1 Mobility Vehicle Rolls Off Production Line
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2011/09/29 - Updated: 2024/06/18
Publication Type: Informative
Topic: Disability Transport Services - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: MV-1 is the first mobility vehicle factory built and assembled which meets or exceeds vehicle guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Assembled at the same plant where AM General produced the HUMMER H2, the MV-1 features a 56-inch high by 36-inch wide side door opening for easy wheelchair or motorized scooter entry and exit via a wide deployable ramp with a 1200 pound capacity that quickly and easily stores beneath the floor inside the vehicle.
• Everyone at AM General is proud to be a part of the MV-1 story. We believe the MV-1 will very quickly become an iconic vehicle setting a new standard against which all other paratransit vehicles will be measured.
Introduction
The Vehicle Production Group LLC (VPG) is proud to announce the MV-1, the "First Mobility Vehicle" and only factory-built and assembled vehicle which meets or exceeds the vehicle guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, rolled off AM General's assembly line in Indiana today and was presented to Marc Buoniconti, President of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis.
Main Item
Fred Drasner, Chairman of VPG, said:
"We are proud to be the first automobile manufacturer to provide a person with mobility issues a vehicle that meets all relevant Federal safety and crash test standards and is designed and built to meet their special requirements; ease of entry and exit, an exceptional ride, state of the art technology, unprecedented reliability, quality and durability and an OEM factory warranty."
"Marc has been involved with the MV-1 project and the design of the vehicle from its inception, and we are pleased that our first production vehicle is going to someone who has done so much to support the disabled community."
Marc Buoniconti, the son of Hall of Fame Miami Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti, was a full scholarship student at The Citadel in 1985 when he sustained a spinal cord injury on the football field that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Marc Buoniconti has since devoted his life to raising funds for research and raising awareness so that paralysis doesn't have to be forever.
"I know what an important difference this vehicle will make to my own life," Buoniconti said. "More importantly, the MV-1 will literally transform daily life for wheelchair users and those who care for them, by making it easier to live a freer, more independent life."
Assembled at the same plant where AM General produced the HUMMER H2, the MV-1 features a 56-inch high by 36-inch wide side door opening for easy wheelchair or motorized scooter entry and exit via a wide deployable ramp with a 1200 pound capacity that quickly and easily stores beneath the floor inside the vehicle. The vehicle's ramp is available in either a manual or powered version. The MV-1 can accommodate a passenger in a wheelchair and additional five occupants, when equipped with the optional rear facing jump seat. The vehicle is available in both consumer and fleet models to serve the needs of the community with taxi, paratransit and personal use solutions.
With its durable body-on-frame vehicle architecture, the MV-1 is built like a truck - strong and dependable - yet rides like a car. Its chassis is engineered by Roush and it is outfitted with Ford's impressive 4.6L 2V EFI V8 engine and four-speed automatic transmission.
The MV-1 is also the only U.S. built vehicle, as well as the only vehicle in its segment, with an available Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) engineered and assembled CNG fuel system option. Clean Energy Fuels, the largest provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America, has been a leading supporter of the MV-1 program. Since the system is factory installed, the MV-1 with the CNG option meets all relevant government safety and crash test requirements and maintains the same durability, reliability and quality as the gasoline-powered vehicle, while reducing operating expenses.
"Everyone at AM General is proud to be a part of the MV-1 story," said Rick Smith, president of commercial business at AM General. "We believe the MV-1 will very quickly become an iconic vehicle setting a new standard against which all other paratransit vehicles will be measured."
Related Information
- MV-1 The Accessible Taxi of Tomorrow: The MV-1 is the first mobility vehicle designed to provide accessible transportation to fleets municipalities and individuals with physical challenges.
- 2014 Production Launch of Accessible MV-1 Vehicle: Mobility Ventures LLC launches production of 2014 MV-1 universally accessible vehicle with vehicles currently being processed for shipment to its nationwide MV-1 dealer network.
- NYC Adds 147 New MV-1's to Access-A-Ride Fleet: New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority adds another 147 new MV-1s to its Access-A-Ride fleet.
- New Wheelchair Accessible MV-1 Empire Taxi for NYC: Fully wheelchair accessible the MV-1 Empire Taxi provides more legroom and luggage space than other taxi vehicles operating in New York City.
- MV-1 Is the First Factory Built Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle: A new American car company and manufacturer of the MV-1, is launching a national road show, The MV-1 Wheels Across America Tour.
- Chicago Taxi Fleet Adds 50 Wheelchair Accessible MV-1s: Chicago to add approximately 50 MV-1 wheelchair-accessible taxis to boost public transportation options for Chicago area residents with disabilities.
- Debut of First Factory-Built Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Coincides With ADA 20th Anniversary: Vehicle features deployable access ramp with a 1,200-pound capacity spacious 36-inch entryway and roomy interior.