The new Volthorse is an exceptionally capable British-built all-terrain mobility scooter, designed for people who want to travel well beyond pavements and conventional mobility scooter territory.

Final production specifications are still being ratified by the manufacturer, but current estimates suggest the Volthorse uses a 2,000W motor with peak power of approximately 4,000W. If confirmed, that would place it among the most powerful mobility scooters currently available in the UK.

It combines that substantial power with large off-road tyres, advanced suspension and a manufacturer-estimated range of up to 50 miles. Our demonstrator also features low and high-beam lighting, a fully waterproof dashboard and a comfortable seat with adjustable rake and backrest recline. Road-pattern tyres are available for users who expect to spend more of their time on tarmac.

We have already spent time testing the Volthorse ourselves, including driving it through our woodland trail and tackling some extremely steep gradients. It has delivered some of the most impressive hill-climbing performance we have experienced from a mobility vehicle.

On the steepest section of our woodland course – affectionately known as “Outback Hill” after the Quantum Outback 4x4 powerchair that had previously set our benchmark – the Volthorse climbed considerably more convincingly.

We also carried out a controlled test on private land in which the Volthorse successfully pulled our Ford Transit Custom van from stationary. Towing vehicles is certainly not something we recommend owners attempt, but it provided a memorable demonstration of the amount of low-speed torque available.

This is a scooter designed for woodland, fields, tracks, steep hills and genuinely demanding outdoor use.

Estimated specifications

Final figures are awaiting manufacturer ratification.

Motor: approximately 2,000W continuous/rated output
Peak motor power: approximately 4,000W
Maximum speed: approximately 8mph
Manufacturer-estimated range: up to 50 miles
Maximum user weight: approximately 40 stone / 254kg
Tyres: large all-terrain tyres
Alternative tyres: road-pattern tyres available
Suspension: heavy-duty full suspension
Lighting: low and high beam
Dashboard: waterproof
Seat: adjustable rake with reclining backrest
Battery: lithium-based battery system
Manufactured: United Kingdom

We will update these figures as soon as the final production specification is confirmed by One Rehab.

Serious power for difficult terrain

The estimated 2,000W rated motor output alone puts the Volthorse well beyond the power level of many conventional mobility scooters, while estimated peak output of around 4,000W gives an indication of the additional power available when climbing or working particularly hard.

It is worth distinguishing between those two figures.

A motor's rated or continuous output describes the level of power it is designed to sustain, while peak output describes the considerably greater power that can be delivered for shorter periods when required. Final figures for the Volthorse are still being ratified, so we will publish confirmed ratings once available.

More important to us than the number on the specification sheet is what the scooter actually does.

During our testing, the Volthorse demonstrated tremendous low-speed pulling power and an ability to maintain momentum on very steep gradients. Rather than feeling as though the drivetrain was approaching its limits, there appeared to be a substantial reserve of performance available.

Our Outback Hill test

We have a particularly steep section of our woodland test route which has become something of an unofficial benchmark for our more capable mobility equipment.

We call it Outback Hill after the Quantum Outback 4x4 powerchair, which had previously been the most impressive machine we had taken up it.

The Volthorse reset that benchmark.

It climbed the hill substantially more convincingly and with noticeably greater power in reserve.

This was not a laboratory test and we wouldn't present it as one. It was simply a real-world comparison across the same difficult piece of terrain that we regularly use when assessing outdoor mobility products.

For us, that experience is considerably more useful than judging the scooter from motor wattage alone.

Stable over rough ground

One of the things that surprised us during our first drive was how composed the Volthorse remained across rough terrain, even when travelling relatively quickly.

Its large tyres, substantial chassis and suspension give it a particularly planted feel on uneven ground.

That doesn't remove the normal risks associated with driving any mobility vehicle across difficult terrain. Side slopes, hidden holes, loose surfaces, wet grass and excessive speed still require judgement.

However, the Volthorse feels fundamentally different from a conventional road scooter being pushed beyond its intended environment. It feels like rough-ground capability has been designed into the vehicle from the beginning.

Up to 50 miles of estimated range

Current manufacturer information suggests a maximum range of up to 50 miles. As with every mobility scooter, we would treat that as a maximum rather than a guaranteed real-world distance and we're likely to quote in person 35-40 miles real world range.

Long grass, soft ground and steep hills require considerably more energy than smooth, level tarmac. User weight, temperature, tyre pressure, driving speed and battery condition will also affect the distance available. Someone planning genuinely long journeys should therefore retain a sensible battery reserve rather than planning around every mile of the theoretical maximum.

Once we have spent more time with our demonstrator, we also intend to build up our own experience of its real-world range.

Volthorse or Tramper?

The obvious comparison is with the Tramper, which has developed an excellent reputation over many years as a serious cross-country mobility scooter. The Volthorse approaches the same requirement in a rather different way. Its appearance and driving position are more reminiscent of a compact electric utility vehicle than a conventional mobility scooter. There is an unmistakably rugged, almost Jeep-like character to it.

For someone primarily using pavements and local shops, that level of capability is unnecessary although understandably desirable! 

For someone who owns land, regularly travels through woodland or across fields, explores country tracks or simply wants substantial reserves of power and range, the Volthorse becomes considerably more interesting.

Off-road or road tyres

Our demonstrator is fitted with chunky off-road tyres designed to provide grip across loose earth, grass and woodland surfaces but smoother road tyres are also available.

We wouldn't automatically assume the most aggressive tyre is the right choice. Someone spending most of their time exploring woodland and farmland may benefit from the off-road tread, while somebody covering longer distances on hard surfaces may prefer the characteristics of the road tyre.

That is something we can discuss as part of an assessment.

Designed for long days outdoors

The driving position is another area where the Volthorse differs from many mobility scooters. Our demonstrator has an adjustable seat rake and reclining backrest, allowing the seating position to be tailored much more effectively around the user.

That becomes increasingly important on a vehicle capable of travelling genuinely long distances. A seating position that feels acceptable after ten minutes may be very different after an hour or two.

The waterproof dashboard and low and high-beam lighting also reinforce the feeling that this is a machine designed around serious outdoor use rather than occasional trips away from the pavement.

What are the compromises?

The Volthorse is a substantial machine. Its large tyres, wide stance and heavy-duty construction that make it so capable outside inevitably make it less appropriate for small shops, tight indoor environments and conventional car transport. It is also significantly more scooter than many people need.

If your journeys are predominantly on maintained pavements with the occasional park path, there are smaller and easier-to-store scooters that will do that job extremely well. The Volthorse makes sense when conventional mobility scooters are routinely being asked to operate outside their comfort zone.

Our view

We have driven a lot of powerful mobility equipment, and the Volthorse genuinely changed our expectations of what this type of scooter could manage. The hill-climbing performance was particularly impressive, but equally important was how stable and controlled it felt while travelling across rough ground.

And while pulling our Transit Custom was certainly not a practical mobility test, it demonstrated the remarkable amount of torque available from the drivetrain.

The final motor ratings are still being confirmed, with current estimates suggesting approximately 2,000W rated output and around 4,000W at peak. We will update our published specifications once One Rehab ratifies the final figures.

Regardless of the eventual numbers, our experience so far is much more straightforward: the Volthorse has considerably more usable power than almost any conventional mobility scooter we have tested.

For someone wanting an ordinary road scooter, it is probably overkill. For somebody whose first question is whether their scooter will actually manage the next steep hill, muddy field or woodland track, the Volthorse could be a very interesting answer.

If you're seeking a demo please give us a call or send us a message via the contact form of the website.