Detroit auto show wrap-up: Vehicle Production Group MV-1

Located in Cobo Center’s Michigan Hall is the NAIAS Mobility Center, where we saw the first vehicle from the Vehicle Production Group. The MV-1, an acronym for Mobility Vehicle 1, is a purpose-built van designated to accommodate wheelchairs. A ramp on the side of the vehicle can deploy at a short or long distance and can carry up to 1,200 pounds. When not in use, the ramp folds into the base of the vehicle.

A demonstration from VPG showed how a wheelchair can be maneuvered up into the vehicle and then the front passenger seat location; it is secured to the floor by anchors. Inside, the MV-1 can comfortably seat five, and it's powered by a Ford-supplied van powertrain that can be ordered with either a gasoline or compressed-natural-gas fuel system. If wheelchair accessibility doesn’t apply to you, VPG says buyers are finding other ways to use the MV-1 like transporting large medical or office equipment.

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