Meet the Ziesel, an all-terrain vehicle of sorts with bulldozer-type tracks that allows wheelchair users to experience the rough-and-tumble of off-road adventure via joystick controls.
But the Austrian company that builds the all-electric Ziesel doesn’t just aim it at wheelchair users – it is being bought by ski fields, adventure hire companies, sports activity centres, contractors, vineyards, and farmers.
Mattro Mobility Revolutions (info@derZiesel.com) offers the Ziesel with three different power packs. The base model gets a 6.3kW/hour battery and 12kW electric motor; the mid-range unit gets 7.9kW/h battery and 14kW motor; and the so-called Pro model runs a 10.8kW/h battery and 18kW motor.
There’s no indication of how long the battery lasts, but top speeds, says the company, are up to 35km/h. It claims Ziesel can climb a maximum 60 per cent grade, but if it topples over, a four-point harnesses holds the driver in place and underneath a roll bar.
“The Ziesel is a pioneer for mobility by combining sustainable and environment-friendly technologies with pure outdoor fun,” says Mattro. “It is the only barrier-free sport vehicle with electrical high-performance power for freedom in nature.”
Mattro says the multipurpose vehicle can handle almost all surfaces – snow, sand, stone, mud, grass.? It offers a trailor hitch at the rear and mounting points up front. It says Ziesel can tow a tonne of weight, in the form of a twin-axle trailor carrying two Ziesels up a 10 per cent incline.
There is no indication of a New Zealand distributor on the Mattro website. But Ziesel isn’t cheap. Prices range from 19,980 to 23,890 euros – that’s between $NS31,700 and $NZ38,000.
