CES 2026: WheelMove Turns Any Standard Wheelchair Into an Electric One
Wheelchairs are available at airports, hotels, resorts, theme parks and on cruises, but standard wheelchairs require continuous effort and may have difficulty traversing difficult terrain. Standard wheelchairs are simply less efficient than electric chairs. WheelMove wants to change that.
WheelMove is a portable wheelchair accessory that transforms any standard wheelchair into a power wheelchair, making it easier for people to get around wherever they are. It debuted at CES 2026, marking a significant step forward in accessibility for traveling wheelchair users.
When I discovered WheelMove at CES “Unveiled,” I thought back to a recent family trip just two weeks ago, during which two of my older family members often rented wheelchairs. They don’t use wheelchairs in their daily lives, but walking around a theme park all day wasn’t possible. They needed help getting around the park, and the rest of us happily took turns pushing their wheelchairs. However, with a portable accessory like WheelMove, wheelchair users can expend less effort and enjoy more independence thanks to the battery-powered, remote-controlled accessory.
Credit: Iyaz Akhtar
Users simply attach WheelMove to the front of any standard wheelchair, and the device lifts the wheelchair’s small front wheels off the ground. Once attached, the rider controls the WheelMove via a base remote on their armrest, thigh, or wherever is most comfortable. The accessory weighs less than 20 pounds, including its 10-inch wheel, 250W motor, and a battery that goes about 15 miles on a charge. Carrying an extra battery can double its range before needing to recharge, and it can navigate terrain such as gravel, grass, and uneven surfaces like cobblestones.
What do you think of it so far?
WheelMove is an incredibly innovative assistive technology intended to expand personal mobility for those who need it, and it is also one of the finalists for the official Best of CES 2026 awards for the travel category. Pre-orders are available in France, where the startup is based, but the founders plan to expand internationally later this year. It costs around €5,000 or $6,000.
