Who is Whill?

Whill is the company that specializes in unique personal mobility devices, known for their innovative and stylish electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Founded in Japan in 2012, Whill focuses on creating products that are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly. The company’s mission is to transform the perception of mobility devices by designing them to be more than just a necessity, but also a form of personal expression and freedom. Their design philosophy revolves around blending form and function, aiming to remove the stigma associated with traditional mobility devices. The sleek, modern designs appeal to users who want a device that looks and feels more like a personal transportation device rather than just a medical aid.

Going for a distinctive look, something stylish that sets you apart is nothing new to innovation. It has, in fact, always been a part of innovation. As products improve through upgrades and cycles, they take on new looks that attract new audiences. The powered mobility aids that we see today are typically centered around one of three themes. Either it is a first-generation product, or it is a product that has been around a few years and has had improvements/revisions through new cycles, and then there are products being introduced that have technology that have never been experienced. The Whill Ri falls into the latter category, being new and innovative in so many ways.

Whill has expanded its market from Japan to the United States and several other countries. It has garnered lots of attention and awards for its innovation in mobility and has been featured in several design and technology exhibitions. They have received numerous awards for their innovative design and technology, including the 2024 iF Design Award Product Design for the model Ri, 2022 iF Design award Product Design for the Model F, the 2023 Consumer Technology Association Innovation Award for Accessibility Autonomous Device, Time Magazines Best Inventions of 2018 and Top 50 Inventions Around the World, 2022 Mobility Management Product Award for Power Wheelchairs for the Model Ci2, and finally, Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2018. Whew! That is a lot of awards. Whill stands out, making products that do not look like the mobility devices you have seen up to now.

  

The Ri IPX5 Rating

The Ri is Whill’s parlance into the scooter world and it is sure to garner recognition and awards just like its’ predecessors. Don’t let its’ box-like appearance fool you. It is a performer. For starters, it is the first fully waterproof scooter with IPX5 components. IPX is a rating system used to evaluate how resistant products are to environmental conditions. Many cycling and camera products often come with an IPX rating letting the consumer know how well an item will hold up under certain environmental conditions. A lot of the scooters on the market today are IPX rated 0 or 1, meaning they offer little to no moisture protection. Ratings 2 and 3 mean the mobility device is protected from water droplets and spray from the side. Some power chairs and scooters today have a 4 rating which protects them from water splashing from any angle. But IPX rating 5 means the device is protected from water jets from any angle. A water jet would be defined as riding it through an oscillating yard sprinkler at any angle. In short, they are as close to waterproof as you can get without actually submerging it. So naturally the first thing we did was take our new Ri for a soak down.

 
 
The IPX5 rating is huge. It is a first for mobility scooters. Our rental and purchased scooters go everywhere, including those areas that are known for rainy weather every day. Britain, Scotland, Ireland, the Northwestern U.S., and the Caribbean are all synonymous with rain, wet surfaces, puddles, and daily downpours and our owners/renters have always had to keep a wary eye towards what the weather is doing. As a traveler with an Ri mobility scooter, this will no longer be an issue or potential problem. Your Ri can take the puddles, the downpours, and keep on trucking. Just make sure you have a raincoat for yourself!


Durability

Ri has a rugged frame with a full, independent suspension system. It has a ground clearance of 2.17” in the rear and 5” at the mid-frame. There are anti-tip wheels in the front – we bounced the unit back and forth hard to try and get something to pop loose, fall out, or tip over entirely but to no avail. We successfully drove it up and down a 4” curve without any hesitation or difficulty. The published obstacle climbing weight is 2”. We drove it up and down hills exceeding the incline rating (not recommended) with no issues. We drove it through some low-lying soggy grass and once again, the Ri excelled. Tires are solid, 7.6” in the front and 10.4” in the rear, which does help with better grip. It has a 325 lb. weight capacity; the seat depth and width are 17”x17”. The armrests can be extended out to a maximum width of 25.2.”

The Ri has a five-year warranty on the base and seat frame, two years on the cushion and back, one year on the mechanical and electrical components and battery. There is a two-year warranty (when you register the unit with Whill) from Mobility Solutions on repair costs, if brought into a Whill Authorized Dealer.





Travel Ready

Lithium-ion batteries are getting stronger with less wattage which is a good thing. The lithium-ion battery for the Ri is a 25.3V, 10.6 Ah, 269-watt battery and is TSA approved. How sweet, drive your Ri right to the airplane, pop the 6 lb. battery out to take on the plane with you and you are done. The Ri has a maximum range of 10.69 miles and a maximum speed of 5 mph. An additional battery can be purchased at any time for you long haulers. If you are a public transportation rider, the Ri is equipped with lock downs for bus rides. Though you see the unit disassembled in the picture above we do not recommend disassembling at the plane, train, or bus. Disassembly is really for your personal travels out. It will fit in almost any trunk though you may have to put the seat itself in the cab of the car; but that is true of all mid-size scooters. The front end of the Whill Ri weighs 35.9 lbs., the seat 26.5 lbs., battery 6 lb., and the rear end 44 lbs.



We Save the Best for Last

The Whill Ri is a Bluetooth enabled scooter. Download the app to your smartphone and you have a full range of features available for use. Your LED on the Ri will show the speed the Ri is going to operate at, range of 1-4, one being the slowest and 4 being the fastest. What the Bluetooth does is actually set the mode the chair is operating at. The slowest is Eco mode, next is Standard mode, and finally there is the Sport mode. Within each of these modes the 1-4 you see in the LED is the speed within that mode. So actually, there are 12 different speed settings. Standard mode will be your optimum balance of acceleration and responsiveness and will be the mode that most would stay within. Eco mode would be the slowest of the settings, perfect for in home use or independent/assisted living. Speeds range from .6 mph to 2.5 mph in the Eco mode. Sport setting has the sharpest acceleration and responsiveness with a top speed of 5 mph. The range starts at 1 mph (1), 2.2 mph (2), 3.4 mph (3), and 5mph (4). You can also turn the unit off and on via the app, see the battery life remaining for the current charge, and total miles traveled. The software revision for the Ri is 1, which tells us there will be additional upgrades and revisions coming down the line. We like the Ri. We like the fact that Whill is consistently pushing the envelope to design and develop innovative technologies that are more engaging and help people get more independence in their lives. We gave it a thorough test and it checked all the boxes! You can see the Ri today in our showroom in West Columbia, S.C., or order directly at www.affordablemedicalusa.com or call us at 803-760-4178. We can answer any questions or assist you in placing your order.