How it works
The first stair-climbing wheelchair you can operate alone.
The Movo X uses an 820W dual-motor system, traction tracks, and a redundant braking system to safely ascend and descend stairs up to 8 inches tall at 15 steps per minute — controlled entirely with a single joystick. No caregiver. No installer. No prescription.
Three steps
From the bottom step to the top floor.
Roll up to the stairs
Drive backward until the rear of the chair touches the first step. The onboard LiDAR scans the riser, measures the height, and confirms it's within the 8-inch safety range. If your steps are taller than 8 inches, the chair refuses to enter stair mode.
Press Stair Mode
One button on the armrest reclines the seat to a safe angle and lowers the climbing tracks against the steps. A 2-second confirmation prevents accidental triggers. The chair will not engage until both tracks contact the stairs.
Hold the trigger. Climb.
Pull the trigger — the chair climbs at 15 steps per minute, about one step every four seconds. Release at any time to stop. The auto-brake holds you in place at every step. The same trigger controls descent in reverse.
The technology
How a wheelchair climbs stairs.
The 820W dual-motor drive
The Movo X uses two motors working together. A 370W high-torque climbing motor drives the traction tracks during stair ascent and descent. A 450W travel motor handles flat-ground propulsion at speeds up to 8 mph. The two motors are managed by a central controller that switches modes automatically based on whether the climbing tracks are engaged.
Why two motors? Stair climbing requires high torque at low speed (you need force to lift a 365 lb load). Flat travel needs efficiency at higher speed. A single motor optimized for one is bad at the other. Splitting them lets us tune each for its job — and lets one act as a backup if the other ever fails.
The traction tracks
Most stair-climbing chairs use either wheels (which slip) or articulated legs (which are complex). The Movo X uses continuous traction tracks — similar to a tank, scaled down and made of high-grip rubber over a steel core. Each track has multiple contact points, so at any moment the chair is gripping at least two stair edges simultaneously. There's no instant where the chair is balanced on a single point.
Continuous balance adjustment
A 9-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) reads the chair's pitch, roll, and yaw 200 times per second. During a climb, the seat tilts forward automatically to keep your center of gravity over the climbing tracks. You don't have to lean — the chair leans the seat for you. If the angle ever exceeds the safe range (40° forward), the brake locks automatically.
Redundant braking
Two completely independent braking systems engage on every step:
- Regenerative motor brake: the climbing motor itself resists motion when not driving, converting kinetic energy back into the battery.
- Mechanical spring-loaded disc brake: closed by default, requires power to release. With dead batteries, the brake is closed — the chair cannot roll free.
For the chair to roll downstairs uncontrolled, both systems would have to fail simultaneously. In our engineering testing to date, that has never happened. We will publish full third-party test data before customer shipments begin.
Single-joystick control
For everything other than the stair-engagement button, the entire chair is controlled with a single right-armrest joystick (left-hand variant available). Push forward to drive. Pull back to reverse. Tilt left or right to turn. The same joystick controls stair speed once stair mode is active — push forward to climb, pull back to descend. We deliberately rejected multi-button control schemes that require fine motor dexterity many of our riders may not have.
The honest part
What you can't climb.
The Movo X is not magic. There are stairs it will not climb safely and we'd rather tell you upfront than have you ship one back.
- Spiral staircases. The chair needs straight runs to engage tracks correctly.
- Stairs narrower than 28 inches. The chair is 24 inches wide; it needs clearance to maneuver.
- Steps taller than 8 inches. The sensors detect this and refuse engagement.
- Floating stairs without risers. The chair needs a solid riser face to push against.
- Wet ice or heavy snow accumulation. The tracks lose grip on glazed ice.
If you're unsure about your specific staircase, email team@movochair.com three photos and a tape-measure shot of the step height. We'll tell you straight whether your stairs work — usually within one business day.
Beyond stairs
The same system handles everything else.
The Movo X isn't just a stair chair. The combination of high-torque motors, traction tracks, and balance sensors makes it capable on terrain that flat-ground chairs cannot manage:
| Curbs and ledges | Up to 8 inches — same as a residential stair |
|---|---|
| Gravel and dirt paths | Traction tracks grip loose surfaces better than wheels |
| Wet grass | Yes — within the 35° incline limit |
| Beach sand (firm-packed) | Possible. Loose dry sand reduces battery range significantly. |
| Inclines up to 35° | Continuous rated incline. Steeper short bursts possible but not recommended. |
| Snow (light, packed) | Yes. Heavy snow accumulation reduces traction. |
Ready to see one in person?
Order today and we'll ship in 45 days. Or book a 15-minute video call with a mobility specialist to walk through your specific situation before you decide.