My Airwheel H3s electric wheelchair – how it changed my life
Why this wheelchair is so important to me
I was able to buy the AirWheel H3S electric wheelchair thanks to the financial help of kind people, for which I’m still very grateful.
Right from the start, I liked that it’s a fairly compact, foldable electric wheelchair that’s easy to transport by car. It makes it easier for me to get around—go into town with my parents, run errands, go for walks, trips, or holidays—and spend more time away from home.
The AirWheel H3S has made my day-to-day life much easier and helped me be more independent.
What I like about the AirWheel H3S
The wheelchair has a top speed of 6 km/h, which has been enough for me for most of the years I’ve used it.
A big advantage is its foldable design. With the press of a button, it can fold automatically, so we can put it in the car trunk quite easily and take it with us practically anywhere.
The AirWheel H3S can also be controlled via a mobile app, which was a very interesting feature—especially at the time I bought it.
Over the years, I’ve also gotten used to its dimensions, seat height, wheel position, and overall geometry. That’s why it’s fairly hard for me today to find an electric wheelchair that suits me just as well—or even better.
My wheelchair customizations
Over time, I made a few tweaks to the AirWheel H3S to suit me even better.
I installed RGB LED strips whose color I can change using my phone. That way, the wheelchair is more visible in the evening and also looks more interesting.
I also upgraded the original horn. Instead of a single simple sound, I can change the horn melody and use additional sounds too.
These modifications aren’t necessary for riding itself, but over the years they’ve become part of my wheelchair and made it fit my preferences.
AirWheel H3S after 7 years of use
I’ve been using the AirWheel H3S for about seven years now, and in that time it has become an inseparable part of my everyday life.
When I bought it, I chose it mainly for its looks, foldability, and specs. Back then, I couldn’t have known how well its design would still suit me even after many years.
Today I can say that this choice has worked out really well for me.
I use the wheelchair regularly at home and outdoors, we take it on trips by car, and it’s been with me on seaside holidays several times too. Over seven years, it has covered many kilometers and, despite its age, it still works.
What I appreciate most is the comfortable seating position, stability, dimensions, large rear wheels, and easy folding.
The first issues after years of use
After about seven years, grease started seeping from both gearboxes.
I noticed the issue most during a holiday, when a round cover cap came loose from one gearbox. We put the cap back on, and later my dad additionally sealed the area around it.
However, a small amount of grease also appeared around the output shaft near the wheel. That can already indicate a problem with the output shaft seal or another part of the gearbox, so I consider it a more serious sign of drivetrain wear.
For now, the wheelchair still works normally, and after the additional sealing the leak has been significantly reduced. But after seven years of use, this is the first more serious technical issue where I also have to consider that repairing the gearboxes may not be easy or cost-effective.
The original motors are also classic brushed DC motors with carbon brushes, rated at 2 × 200 W.
That’s also why I started thinking about what comes next when the time comes to replace the AirWheel H3S.
What I’d want from my next electric wheelchair
After seven years of using the H3S, I now know very well which electric wheelchair features matter to me.
With my future wheelchair, I’d like to keep the main advantages of the AirWheel—comfortable seating position, good stability, a foldable design, larger rear wheels, and dimensions suitable for traveling by car.
At the same time, I’d welcome more modern tech:
- brushless BLDC motors,
- a more powerful and more reliable drivetrain,
- a top speed of about 8 to 10 km/h,
- high-quality electromagnetic brakes,
- better suspension,
- an adjustable backrest,
- good range,
- easy folding and transport by car.
I don’t want a new wheelchair just because it’s newer. I’d like it to be a real step forward compared to the model that served me reliably for seven years.
AirWheel H3S Technical Specifications
- Weight capacity: 130 kg
- Climbing ability: 12°
- Maximum speed: 6 km/h
- Battery: 524 Wh
- Temperature range: -15°C to 50°C
- Charging time: 3–5 hours
- Motor: 2 × 200 W (400 W total)
- Weight: 29.5 kg
- Front wheels: 8″ (20.3 cm)
- Rear wheels: 12.5″ (31.8 cm)
- Range: 15–25 km
A wheelchair that changed my life
Over seven years, the AirWheel H3S has made my day-to-day life much easier.
Thanks to it, I can get around more easily, spend more time outdoors with my family, travel, and reach places that would be much harder for me without an electric wheelchair.
I’m very grateful to all the kind people whose help made it possible for me to buy it.
Even though after seven years it’s starting to show the first signs of wear, it’s still the wheelchair I’ll measure any future replacement against.
You can read more about me on the page
“About Me”.
My wheelchair in practice
