The new Winnebago Roam RV, the first Class B RV designed with accessibility in mind, is a great option for wheelchair users, a report said.
Some wheelchair-user adventurers have built their own accessible homes on wheels. Kirk Williams, a quadriplegic photographer, did this with his modified van. The Roam, which Winnebago announced today, fills the bill in a smaller package than what the company’s larger wheelchair-ready RVs, the Adventurer AE and the Inspire, already offer. These are Class A RVs of bus size with five-person sleeping areas and prices starting at $269,000.
Class B RVs can sleep up to two people and are typically 21-24 feet in length.
Built using a 2021 Ram ProMaster as the base and with a BraunAbility wheelchair lift under the sliding side door, the Roam is less than 20 feet long, but Winnebago said it was “designed with enough floor space to support a wheelchair and critical accessible features.” This includes a standard wheelchair tie-down, an under-vehicle lift, and standard wheelchair toilets. There is also accessible light and system controls. You can fit up to five people in the sofa bed and it can sleep up to four if you add the pop-top that can sleep two.
Winnebago’s only other options are a built-in television and the choice of one of three colors (red or silver), Winnebago won’t install hand controls to drive the Roam. This will be left up to third-party companies if that buyer is interested. All other features, such as the microwave and refrigerator, can be seen in the photos. Winnebago will switch the Roam to 2022 ProMasters as soon as they become available.
According to the company, Roam’s accessible features were chosen based on user feedback and decades of experience in building larger Class A motorhomes. Winnebago also received ideas from people who traveled in RVs with wheelchair-bound travelers, who offered suggestions on what to keep and what to change. Winnebago also talked to caregivers and people from the accessibility community as it developed the Roam.
A spokesperson for Winnebago stated that while there are certain features like the wheelchair lift or tie-downs that are designed to assist the user in a wheelchair, most of the features are universal. This includes easily accessible controls, gauges, displays, and controls. You will find more space to move, a bathroom that is easy to access, and privacy features.
The Roam will only be sold at three authorized dealers when it goes on sale in the fall: Pleasureland, Campers Inn, and La Mesa. Winnebago stated that more dealers could be added as demand increases.
