The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan – the 2017 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year – has been added to the list of eligible vehicles in the FCA US LLC Automobility Program.
Through this program, FCA US will provide a reimbursement up to a maximum of $1,000 to eligible customers who incur out-of-pocket expenses to install qualifying adaptive driver or passenger equipment on a purchased or leased new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram or FIAT vehicle.
With the addition of the Pacifica, there are now 25 vehicles available to be modified with adaptive equipment in the FCA US Automobility Program.
The most spacious wheelchair-accessible vehicle in the industry, the BraunAbility Chrysler Pacifica features patent-pending AccessAbility technology, including an aerospace-inspired sliding door extension and the industry’s widest side-entry ramp, with rear-axle space innovations and cantilevered seat bases that expand interior cabin space, maximizing space for obstruction-free maneuverability for all sizes and types of wheelchairs. BraunAbility seamlessly integrates with the sophisticated styling of the Chrysler Pacifica. To ensure Chrysler integrity and quality, BraunAbility sources its components through the same suppliers, and crash-tests to the highest automotive standards.
The partnership between Chrysler and BraunAbility includes co-promotion support for the ‘Give a Dog a Job Program’ benefiting Canine Companions for Independence. Trained service dogs across the country are empowering wheelchair users daily by completing everyday activities, including getting in and out of their wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Hundreds are currently on the waitlist to receive a trained assistance dog, which is provided to a person with a disability free of charge.
FCA US has redesigned its Automobility website, www.fcausautomobility.com, to guide customers through the process of determining which adaptive equipment best suits their lifestyle, including choosing an eligible vehicle that can be adapted to meet their needs, finding a local adaptive equipment dealer and applying for the FCA US Automobility reimbursement. The website has complete program guidelines.
A new compatibility chart makes it easy to match needed adaptive equipment to the right Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT vehicle.
“At the heart of our new website are five unique stories shared by some extraordinary people on how equipping their vehicle has helped them in their day-to-day lives,” said Jeff Kommor, Vice President – U.S. Sales Operations, Fleet and Small Business Sales, FCA US LLC. “The new Automobility website provides clear pathways for our customers to determine what adaptive equipment and which vehicle best fit their needs.”
One of those stories features Cheryl Angelelli, a four-time Paralympian medalist and wheelchair ballroom dancer who drives a Chrysler Town & Country with adaptive equipment.
“Because I’m a quadriplegic, I use hand controls and a specially modified steering wheel,” Cheryl relays in the video. “Reliability is very important to me, dependability, because if I’m without a car, then I’m without my mobility and my independence. I can’t imagine not being able to drive. It has afforded me so much independence that I can’t even imagine my life without driving.”
FCA US and BraunAbility unveiled the wheelchair-accessible BraunAbility Chrysler Pacifica at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show today, which gives wheelchair users the quality of the world’s leading automotive mobility manufacturer with the functionality and bold styling of the industry’s most awarded minivan of the year. The BraunAbility Chrysler Pacifica features the largest interior space, as well as the widest door opening and side-entry ramp in the industry.