WHILL Model C2 review

The WHILL Model C2 is the chair people look at twice. It rides on four independently sprung wheels, the front ones built from small rollers so the chair turns in 29.9 in without swivel casters. It does 5 mph and a stated 12.4 miles, in three seat widths. It is also $3,999 and 114 lb. It comes apart for a car, but the heaviest piece is 42.8 lb. Buy it to be outdoors in comfort, not to save effort at the trunk.

If that is more than you planned, the Golden LiteRider Envy costs $1,819 and scores 9.3/10. Prices move: the seller's page is the one that counts. See our electric wheelchair price guide.

WHILL lists 114 to 116.4 lb in all, depending on the seat. It does not fold. It comes apart in four steps into a seat (26.9 to 28.9 lb), a front base (38.8 lb), a rear base (42.8 lb) and a 6 lb battery. So the lift is 42.8 lb, three times over, plus the battery. That is heavier per piece than a Pride Go Chair (36 lb). If nobody at home lifts that, plan a ramp and leave the chair assembled.

The rating is 300 lb, and WHILL offers three seat widths: 16, 18 or 20 in. The overall width goes from 21.8 to 25.6 in with the seat, and the chair is 38.8 in long. WHILL also sells a high-back version of the C2 for riders who want more back support; ask for its price, which we did not check.

Up to 12.4 miles and up to 5 mph, per WHILL, on a lithium-ion battery that lifts out and charges in up to 5 hours. Only the full-size Jazzy EVO 613 is faster in our comparison. WHILL states that the battery "is approved for airline travel"; as always, the airline confirms, and a 114 lb chair travels in the hold, not the cabin.

That is what you pay for. Four-wheel independent suspension, 3 in of ground clearance and front "omni" wheels that roll sideways as well as forward: WHILL says it clears obstacles of 2 in and climbs 10-degree slopes. The chair is rated IPX4, which covers splashes, not a downpour. Indoors it turns in 29.9 in, respectable for a chair this long.

The Model F costs $2,499, folds in under three seconds according to WHILL and weighs 52.9 lb once its battery is out. It carries less (253.5 lb), goes slower (3.7 mph) and has no suspension. The C2 is the comfortable one, the F the portable one. Both are described on our WHILL wheelchair page.

Warranty. 5 years on base and seat frame; 2 years on cushions; 1 year on mechanical and electrical parts, batteries and tires (WHILL).

Returns. WHILL takes returns within 30 days of purchase, new and unused in the original packaging, with a 20% restocking fee.

A warranty covers parts: ask who pays labor and shipping, and where the nearest repair shop is. Keep the order email as proof of the purchase date.

WHILL's product page links to its Google reviews but prints no owner comments we could quote, so we won't invent a consensus. What the brand does publish is a clear set of numbers and a statement that the Model C2 "has received 510(k) clearance for marketing as a Class II medical device". If you can, try one: WHILL has a store locator on its site.

WHILL: "Lithium-ion battery is approved for airline travel."

The rule is the FAA's, not a brand's: a lithium battery removed from a mobility device is limited to 300 Wh and travels in the cabin, terminals protected (FAA PackSafe). Ask the seller for the watt-hours in writing. Call your airline 48 hours ahead: flying with an electric wheelchair.

The chair ships in pieces to assemble in four steps, the reverse of the take-apart. Fit the battery and set the controller on your preferred side. WHILL lists a mobile app among its support pages: ask what it lets you set on this chair, and start at the lowest speed.

WHILL ships free in the contiguous US. A return within 30 days must be new, unused and in the original packaging, and costs a 20% restocking fee: about $800 on this chair. Plan for a vehicle ramp if nobody at home lifts 42.8 lb, and ask the price of a spare battery.

Per pound of rated capacity, that is $13.33. Thinking of Medicare? A chair bought online at a cash price is not supplied through Medicare: our Medicare guide explains the official route.

Each criterion is scored out of 10 from the published figure; what isn't published scores 2. No two chairs get the same score: the method says how close calls are settled.

The two chairs closest in kind and price: Golden LiteRider Envy ($1,819, 9.3/10) and Pride Go Chair ($1,776, 9.2/10). Put all three side by side.

Head-to-heads: Pride Go Chair vs Golden LiteRider Envy, Fold & Go MagSHOCK vs ComfyGo Majestic IQ-8000.

Rankings: best electric wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs for seniors. The whole range is on our whill wheelchair page.

Guides that help you decide: electric wheelchair price guide.