Get Hotcars Premium. Start your free trial today

The new Outrider Coyote is an off-roading powerchair.

What is the main highlight of the recently introduced Outrider Coyote off-roader? The lightweight? The electric powertrain? For us, the focal point is the disability-centered features of this extreme off-road all-electric vehicle.

Although the North Carolina-based Outrider USA has been manufacturing trikes since 2009, the company has just unveiled a new 1-passenger all-electric rig, an off-road 4X4 specifically designed to get wheelchair- and crutches-bound individuals outside again. The company said it wanted to build something “that packs as much off-road capability as possible into the most compact package.”

So, Outrider USA built a tough-as-nail long-range electric quad that fits nicely in the back of a midsize SUV. They do call it an ATV, but we don’t emphasize that tag. Needless to say, this Coyote is the real deal, even for dudes who love hunting. Thanks to the electrified powertrain, it’s quiet, so you can sneak up on games. If you have mobility problems preventing you from hiking or experiencing outdoors fun, it’s time to hit the outdoors again with the 2022 Outrider Coyote.

If you've ever imagined an off-road-rated wheelchair, Outrider USA has transformed that imagination into reality. The Coyote can be correctly described as a wheelchair on steroids. It literally turns disability into para-ability. Outrider has managed to create not just a strong and lightweight adult 4X4, but the lightest in the world as yet.

Related: Quad Bike Outruns Cop Car On Drag Strip In Surprising Race

Built on a special monocoque platform, the 2022 Outrider Coyote is not your average powerchair. Unibody and monocoque chassis are often used interchangeably, but both terms aren’t the same. A unibody vehicle construction is strengthened by tubes, bulkheads, and box sections, whereas a monocoque relies on its outer layers for strength. In other words, the Coyote's aluminum monocoque construction offers structural integrity provided by its shell as opposed to the beams.

The lack of beams enhances the vehicle's lightweight just as the unified chassis and frame enhance its strength. With up to 150 lbs of curb weight, the 2022 Outrider Coyote is tougher than it looks and yet the world’s lightest production 4X4. The base model is even lighter, weighing 130 lbs. A powerchair with up to 300 lbs of tow capacity and 400 lbs of passenger plus cargo capacity is worth the investment. The Coyote is 6ft long, 3ft tall, and 3ft wide. It comes with two powertrain options.

The first is a single-motor carbon-belt-driven live-axle that delivers up to 4 horsepower to the wheels through a planetary gear reduction and achieves 93-percent efficiency. This option is ideal for Coyote owners who do more towing and cargo-hauling than trail hiking. The second option is ideal for owners who need enhanced suspension to maneuver rough terrains; an independent trailing-arm rear suspension and a pair of rear hub motors each producing up to 1.7 horsepower at 88 percent efficiency.

It’s also significantly less noisy compared to the single inboard motor. We recommend four of these independently suspended hub motors for the best offroading experience.

Coyote is easy to operate with a pair of hand levers you can tilt left, right, forward, and backward to steer, throttle, and break without exerting too much upper body strength. It can also be operated via a 3-pin controller, suitable for quadriplegics or riders with grip-impairing spinal cord injuries.

We already mentioned the Coyote’s suitability for hunting trips. Outrider says fishing or hunting, you’re good to go with the Coyote. Compared to your typical off-road 4X4, the all-electric Outrider Coyote is as stealthy as a mouse, and the absence of an internal combustion engine means there’s no scent to alert your quarry. The top speed limiter set at 28 mph ensures your prey does not elude you.

Besides the hunting benefits, going green is better for your pocket, our collective health, and the planet. Note that the programmable speed limiter can be set higher or lower than 28 mph, depending on local regulations.

Besides that Coyote is a sophisticated powerchair for outdoorsy individuals with physical mobility problems, the ease of transport is another of its best features. The lightweight makes it easier to stow the vehicle in the back of an SUV.

The 2022 Outrider Coyote is no fish, but it can tread on water. Its knobbed 2.5-by-20-inch wheels, optional AWD, and extended suspension allow it to perform excellently on leafy, rocky, or muddy terrain. For gearheads like us who’ve seen awesome ATVs like the ATV Atlas, we tend to have a higher benchmark for vehicles that qualify as a true-to-form all-terrain vehicle. We said earlier we won’t emphasize the “ATV” tag only because the Outrider Coyote is waterproof, not amphibious.

It comes with an adjustable backrest allowing the driver to switch postures for optimum comfort and relaxation. The vehicle has a 7 inches ground clearance while the seat is 6.5 inches above the ground.

Related: Insane Lazareth LM 410 Quad Bike Is Ready To Ride

Before we talk about the price, let’s clarify for whom this utility vehicle is designed. The Coyote is built for everyone, disabled or not, although Outrider USA put considerable thought into creating a bike optimized for riders with mobility problems. They have a tagline that says, “Get Back Out There.” So, the 2022 Outrider Coyote features one platform for able-bodied and disabled riders alike.

How much is it, then? It has a starting price of $14,000 unless you insist that $13,985 isn't $14,000 yet. Ultimately, your choice determines how much you have to pay. Customers pay up to $20,000 for the 4-wheel-drive long-range version. With the option of up to four 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery packs (consisting of Tesla-like 21,700 cylindrical power cells in its battery packs), the new Outrider Coyote can cover 140 miles on a single charge. Each additional battery pack cost $1,250, giving you an extra 35 miles. We just wish the battery is removable for indoor charging.

At this price, the Coyote is costlier than your typical quad bike. On the other hand, Outrider is offering a bespoke fully-electric quad with the potential to bring genuine happiness to disabled individuals and their families. You buy a Coyote the same way you buy a Tesla; place your order online, and your Coyote is hand-built to your specific configuration. As the paraplegic Outrider Coyote test driver, Daylan Carver, said, "the only thing that would be better than this would be walking."

Philip Uwaoma, this bearded black male from Nigeria, has single-handedly written more than a million words in the form of articles published on various websites, including toylist.com, rehabaid.com, and autoquarterly.com. Of all the websites and platforms Philip’s work appears on, the absence of his name attached to the articles published on Auto Quarterly is the only one that makes him moan; “ghostwriting sucks.” Albeit, Philip still won’t shy away from writing as a ghost. After all, it's the value he adds to human life with his pen that fuels his passion for writing. He has no dog, no wife- yet- and he loves Rolls Royce more than he really should.