BraunAbility, a leading manufacturer of wheelchair accessible vehicles, once again teamed up with Tangent, to design and develop Braun’s latest foray into the wheel chair accessible SUV market, with the 2020 Chevy Traverse.
The Winamac, Indiana based mobility company tasked Tangent with developing the interior and exterior modifications that transform the stock Chevy Traverse into a capable wheelchair accessible SUV. These modifications included exterior body panels and side trim, which add additional style and functionality to the modified Traverse exterior, allowing for increased aerodynamics and greater ease of use for all occupants. By incorporating a built-in step design, the body panels provide additional functionality for non-wheelchair users.
Tangent was also tasked with designing and modeling interior trim panels, which fit seamlessly between the OEM interior panels and the lowered floor, creating a holistically designed space for all of the vehicle’s occupants, as well a dampening vehicular road noise during travel.
Beginning with 2D sketches, Tangent was careful to match the existing styling of the Traverse’s interior and exterior body panels, in order to create a unified look and feel for the vehicle. Tangent then proceeded to model all of the necessary parts in 3D CAD software, mating up to OEM data, ensuring that fit and finish would be of paramount importance.
The 2020 Traverse makes several key improvements over previous MXV (mobility crossover vehicle) iterations, including increased floorspace (enough to fit two wheelchairs), a three-person back seat, and a wider doorway and ramp. Interior features include an adjustable shifter that can slide side-to-side to allow for additional space when the vehicle is being operated, as well as adjustable armrests, center council and cup holders, all of which can be moved to ease mobility constraints.
Tangent’s design and development expertise paired with Braun’s track record for making the most innovative wheelchair accessible vehicles on the market, ensured the 2020 BraunAbility Traverse would nothing but an unparalleled success.