AM General is producing wheelchair-accessible cars

MISHAWAKA, Ind. — The plant that formerly made H2 Hummers has begun making wheelchair-accessible cars.

AM General, which made the H2 under contract for General Motors Corp., is making the MV-1 for The Vehicle Production Group based in Miami. VPG Chairman Fred Drasner said the plan five years ago was to make wheelchair-accessible taxis, but investors decided to expand the market to sell to those who need such vehicles for everyday use.

“We think that, ultimately, is the biggest market,” Drasner said.

Drasner said there are 1.5 million vehicles in America that have been converted for use by people in wheelchairs, but there were no vehicles specifically made for that purpose. At a news conference Wednesday, the first MV-1 was presented to Marc Buoniconti, who suffered a spinal cord injury 26 years ago while playing college football at The Citadel. Buoniconti is president of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a spinal cord injury research center and has worked as a consultant for VPG.

“It’s been a long time coming that the disabled community gets a vehicle that’s not an afterthought. It’s not a chopped up vehicle. It’s a shame it’s taken this long,” said Buoniconti, whose father played for the Miami Dolphins and nearby Notre Dame.

The vehicle, which starts at $39,950, has a 3-foot high door that is 56 inches wide and allows a person in a wheelchair to use a built-in ramp to get in alone and sit next to the driver, with room for three passengers in the back seat and an option for an additional jump seat.

It also has specially designed restraint system to keep the wheelchair in place. VPG offers models that run on gasoline or compressed natural gas.

VPG hopes to sell 1,000 cars this year, about 10,000 next year and 25,000 to 30,000 a year after that. Rick Smith, president of AM General’s commercial business segment, said building vehicles like the MV-1 is vital to the company’s long-term growth.