Robooter E40 vs E60: Which Folding Power Chair Is Right for You?

The E40 and E60 are folding power chairs from the same maker, and we carry both in Canada. They are built for different ground. Every figure below comes from Robooter's own product pages, leaflets, FAQ and user manuals. Robooter notes on its pages that its data may contain slight errors, and its documents do not always agree; where they differ, we say so.

• At a glance
• Weight and folding
• Battery and flying
• Ground
• Seat and turning
• Which to choose
• Questions

The E40 and E60 at a glance

Robooter E40

24.6 in wideIndoor chair

Robooter calls the E40 an indoor electric wheelchair that glides on various floors and handles tight spaces and turns. It is the lighter of the two on every chair weight Robooter publishes.

Robooter E60

25.2 in wideAll terrain chair

Robooter calls the E60 an all terrain electric wheelchair, with front suspension and 10 inch omnidirectional front wheels.

Figures starting with "about" are our conversions of Robooter's figures; the rest are Robooter's own.

Weight and folding

Robooter's documents give different weights for each chair, but the E40 is the lighter chair on every one of them. Robooter's user manuals list both the same way: 59.5 lb in total for the E40 and 32 kilograms, about 70.5 lb, for the E60. The heaviest part is 51.8 lb on the E40 and 28 kilograms, about 61.7 lb, on the E60. In both manuals the battery comes out of the chair, and both put it at about 7.5 lb (3.4 kilograms).

Both fold by hand. Robooter's FAQ says the E40 and E60 fold and unfold with two lever clicks that take 2 seconds, and its E40 page says no disassembly is needed. Folded, the E40 is 27.6 inches long, 24.6 wide and 17.7 high in Robooter's manual (700 by 624 by 450 millimetres on its page). For the E60, Robooter's page and metric leaflet give 77 by 64 by 50 centimetres, or 30.3 by 25.2 by 19.7 inches, but its manual gives 800 by 640 by 455 millimetres, about 31.5 by 25.2 by 17.9 inches, so check your trunk against both. To compare other chairs, see the lightest folding power wheelchairs we carry.

Battery, range and flying

Robooter lists a 20 Ah battery for both chairs. It gives the E40 a range of 23 km on a charge. For the E60, its page and manual give 25 km and its metric leaflet 23 km. Both manuals say ground such as grass and gravel affects how far the chair goes and how well it climbs.

Here is what Robooter says about flying:

• The E40: Robooter's E40 page says, “Except for 20Ah battery, 12ah batteries can be carried on airplanes.”
• Smaller batteries: Robooter's FAQ says, “We do have smaller batteries with 10Ah 24V and 12Ah 24V available as accessories which will be allowed on.”
• The E60: Robooter's E60 page, leaflets and manual say nothing about flying with its battery.
• Every Robooter chair: the FAQ says, “Yes airlines will allow our power chairs on planes,” and “You should check in advance of your flight on battery size allowances.”

We carry the Robooter E40/E60 12Ah Travel Battery. Robooter does not publish a range for either chair on a 12 Ah battery.

The ground each one suits

Indoors

This is what the E40 is built for. Robooter says it glides on various floors and handles tight spaces and turns, and that its small turning radius lets it pass through a narrow aisle at home. Robooter's E60 leaflet says its 360 degree turning means no three point turns, but the E60 is slightly wider: 25.2 inches against the E40's 24.6.

Sidewalks and paths

Robooter does not name sidewalks for either chair. On paths, bumps and slopes matter most. Robooter rates the E40 for obstacles up to 1.6 inches (4 centimetres) and the E60 for 2.3 inches (6 centimetres), but the E60 manual says not to try to cross a 40 millimetre obstacle or ditch, about 1.6 inches, the same as the E40's limit. Both manuals say not to climb slopes over 9 degrees.

Grass and gravel

This is the E60's ground. Robooter's E60 page talks of outdoor days from grassy fields to coastal paths, and its leaflet names gravel, mud and grass among the surfaces it works on. Robooter says the E60's front suspension uses a coil spring for a smooth, comfortable ride on varied ground. Robooter does not describe the E40 for grass or gravel, and lists no suspension for it.

Seat, turning and speed

Both seats are 18 inches wide in Robooter's manuals (46 centimetres in the E60's). Robooter's E60 leaflet lists two 10 inch versions of the chair: one with a backrest fixed at 18 degrees, and the E60-A, with a backrest that adjusts from 8 to 38 degrees. Its E60 page says the E60-A's armrests set from 455 to 515 millimetres apart, about 17.9 to 20.3 inches. On the E40, Robooter says the armrests fold up at the sides for getting in and out.

Robooter gives the E40 a minimum turning radius of 17.7 inches (450 millimetres). For the E60 it gives 80 centimetres, about 31.5 inches, on its page and 850 millimetres, about 33.5 inches, in its manual. Yet both manuals give the same corridor width for turning the chair around to face the other way: 70.9 inches (1,800 millimetres).

Robooter's E40 and E60 pages give both chairs a top speed of 8 km/h; some of its other documents give lower figures. Robooter lists brushless motors for both and does not publish their power.

Choose the E40 or the E60

Choose the E40 if:

• Most of the driving is indoors, which is what Robooter designed it for.
• You want the lighter chair to lift into a car.
• You want the smaller turning radius: 17.7 inches by Robooter's figures.

Choose the E60 if:

• You will drive on grass, gravel or coastal paths, which Robooter describes it for.
• You want front suspension and bigger, omnidirectional front wheels.
• You or a helper can manage the heavier lift: about 70.5 to 75.4 lb in total by Robooter's figures.

If neither fits: Robooter says the Robooter X40 folds and unfolds automatically, hands free. The carbon fibre Robooter E80 has a net weight of about 15.9 kilograms, or 35 lb, by Robooter's figures. And the Robooter E60 Pro GT has 12 inch tires and two 250 W brushless motors, Robooter says.

Robooter E40 vs E60 questions

Which is better, the Robooter E40 or the E60?

Neither is better for everyone, because Robooter built them for different ground. The E40 is the lighter indoor chair. For grass and gravel, the E60 adds front suspension and bigger, omnidirectional front wheels. Both carry up to 330 lb.

Which is lighter, the Robooter E40 or the E60?

The E40, on every chair weight Robooter publishes. Robooter's manuals give 59.5 lb in total for the E40 and 32 kilograms, about 70.5 lb, for the E60.

Can I take the Robooter E40 or E60 on a plane?

Robooter's FAQ says, “Yes airlines will allow our power chairs on planes,” and “You should check in advance of your flight on battery size allowances.” Its E40 page says, “Except for 20Ah battery, 12ah batteries can be carried on airplanes.” Robooter's E60 page, leaflets and manual say nothing about flying.

Can the Robooter E40 go on grass or gravel?

Robooter does not describe it for grass or gravel; it calls the E40 an indoor electric wheelchair. The E60 is the one Robooter describes for grass, gravel and mud, with front suspension and 10 inch omnidirectional front wheels.

Can I use the Robooter E40 or E60 in the rain?

Both manuals rate the chairs IPX4, which Robooter's E40 manual describes as protection against splashing water from any direction. The manuals say not to leave the chair out in heavy rain or a rainstorm, and not to drive on water, oil or ice.