Power Wheelchair and Mobility Scooter Sales
Imports of Electric Mobility Aids Down in 2008
Aug 9, 2009
In 2008, Canada exported US$4.2 million worth of mechanically propelled wheelchairs and mobility scooters. That number represents a 114.1% gain over the $1.9 billion in powered mobility aids sold 4 years earlier in 2004.
Canadians imported $24.1 million worth of power wheelchairs and mobility scooters last year. Canada imported almost $20 million more in battery-assisted mobility imports than it shipped as exported goods.
However, the value of mobility aids imported into Canada has actually fallen by 20.1% from $30.2 million in 2004.
Power Wheelchairs Compared to Mobility Scooters
Most power wheelchairs and mobility scooters are battery-powered, and are charged from a standard electrical outlet.
Mobility scooters are typically much longer than battery-powered or manual wheelchairs. The longer length of scooters make turning in confined spaces difficult. For that reason, users who are confined indoors prefer to own power wheelchairs.
Front-wheel drive mobility scooters are usually smaller and careful drivers can navigate indoors more easily.
Loading larger-sized mobility scooters onto wheelchair-designed lifts or ramps is often impractical. Electric mobility scooters also have low ground clearance, which can be problematic in cities or towns with high curbs. Few scooters have body support options such as leg rests, which are standard features on power wheelchairs.
Electric mobility scooters usually cost more than power wheelchairs.
Both power wheelchairs and mobility scooters are covered under harmonized system code 8713.90 for international trade tariff classification purposes. Because these mobility aids are considered medical devices, most countries including Canada do not charge tariff duties or excise taxes on imported electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
Power Wheelchair and Mobility Scooter Exports
Below are the top 10 countries to which Canada exported 99.5% of its mechanically propelled wheelchairs and mobility scooters in 2008.
- United States … US$4.1 billion (97.8% of mobility aids, up 142.2% from 2004)
- Australia … $24.4 million (0.6%, up 145.5%)
- Netherlands … $11.3 million (0.3%, down 13.3%)
- New Zealand … $9.4 million (0.2%, up from nil)
- Czech Republic … $9.2 million (0.2%, up from nil)
- Taiwan … $3.7 million (0.1%, up from nil)
- Honduras … $3.5 million (0.1%, up from nil)
- South Korea … $3.3 million (0.1%, up from nil)
- St. Kitts-Nevis … $3.28 million (0.1%, up from nil)
- Guyana … $2.9 million (0.1%, up 3616%).
As the above list shows, Canadian exports of power wheelchairs and electric mobility scooters are poorly diversified. America consumes almost 98% of Canadian mobility aid exports. A downturn in sales in the U.S. due to the recent upsurge in the value of the Canadian dollar will severely impact overall Canadian exports of mechanically propelled wheelchairs and scooters.
Battery-Powered Wheelchair and Mobility Scooter Imports
Over 99% of power mobility aids imported into Canada in 2008 came from the following countries.
- United States … US$12.6 billion (52.2% of mobility aides, down 49.8% from 2004)
- Taiwan… $5.7 billion (23.8%, up 94%)
- China … $3.3 billion (13.6%, up 184.3%)
- Australia … $1.3 billion (5.2%, up from nil)
- Sweden … $393.2 million (1.6%, up 2027%)
- United Kingdom … $179.6 million (0.7%, down 72.4%)
- Netherlands … $173.9 million (0.7%, down 190.9%)
- Israel … $146.4 million (0.6%, up 76.5%)
- Germany … $144.1 million ( 0.6%, up 124.4%)
- Poland … $83.8 million (0.3%, up from nil).
Power wheelchairs and mobility scooters from China and Taiwan show the fastest rate of growth for imported mobility aids coming into Canada.
Competitively Priced Mobility Aids
Neither China nor Taiwan imports mechanically propelled mobility aids from Canada, revealing a strong competitive advantage for these Asian countries.
Their soaring sales are despite the roughly 7,500 miles (12,100 kilometers) that separate Canada from Chinese and Taiwanese companies that ship power wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Transportation costs must be considerable for shipping these products over such long distances.
North American manufacturers should be able to produce mobility aid products at more competitive prices, since they do not have the same shipping costs. If not, the Canadian government should consider imposing modest tariff duties to level the playing field for electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters made in Canada and the United States.
See also Imported Mobility Scooters from Taiwan.
Sources for this Article
This article presents independent insights and comments based on a review of an online report for tariff classification code 8713.90 from Industry Canada’s Trade Data Online (based on Statistics Canada).
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