The global personal mobility devices market size was valued at USD 9,929 million in 2021, presumed to reach USD 17,577 million, expanding at a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period.
Personal mobility vehicles are distinct from automobiles, bicycles, and motorcycles. However, they are a convenient mode of transportation because users can drive on roads, walk along sidewalks, and navigate enormous buildings with ease and safety while using them. Personal mobility devices provide convenient, safe, and suitable transportation for patients with mobility limitation disorders. These devices are conveniently accessible to home-based caregivers and patients. A variety of personal mobility equipment is available on the market, including walkers, wheelchairs, rollators, canes, and crutches. These technologies enable patients to undertake daily activities without the need to attend clinics or hospitals. Consequently, these gadgets are commonly utilized by the geriatric population and those with mobility issues.
Personal mobility vehicles are meant to transport a single person while consuming minimal energy. They are appropriate for various situations, such as traveling distances that are too far to walk but too close to drive or navigating a vast retail center or hospital campus. An increase in the number of patients with disabilities, an increase in the elderly population as a whole, an increase in the number of road accidents, and a rise in the prevalence of meningitis and spinal cord injuries are among the primary drivers driving the market's expansion. In the twenty years to come, it is projected that the proportion of elderly people will continue to increase. It is envisioned that by 2050 there will be 1.6 billion seniors, accounting for 16.7% of the world population of 9.4 billion. Hence, such factors are projected to push the personal mobility devices market.
Personal mobility equipment like wheelchairs, rollators & walkers, canes, and crutches are assistive technology that allows individuals with impairments to move from one location to another. These tools are either powered by batteries or operated manually. Innovative mobility aids increase mobility's convenience and comfort. For example, the innovative wheelchair iBOT 4000 is not only used to drive rear and front on flat terrain, but it also lets the user travel in a standing position and walk up and down stairs with great ease. In addition, the World Health Organization reports that wheelchairs benefit over 65 million individuals worldwide.
In addition, Article 20 of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) guarantees the right to personal mobility, which is the freedom to move in a manner of one's choosing. This article prompted businesses to create enhanced versions of personal mobility devices with the most desirable features and reasonable rates. Thus, introducing new and improved models of mobility devices is a crucial factor driving the market for personal mobility devices.
Moreover, chronic disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord infarction, obesity, persistent alcohol abuse, stroke, and type 2 diabetes significantly impact a person's walking capacity. Moreover, knee osteoarthritis is a prevalent condition. It is a disorder in which the cartilage and fluid between the joints deteriorate, causing them to rub more closely together. Osteoarthritis affected more than 27 million people in the United States in 2019, according to the Arthritis Foundation (AF) data. In addition, roughly 930,000 people were estimated to be affected by the condition in 2020. In addition, diabetic neuropathy is a form of nerve damage that can make walking impossible if the nerves in the feet and legs are significantly affected. Consequently, increasing the incidence of such diseases may increase the use of personal mobility devices worldwide, thereby expanding the market.
Personal mobility devices are used daily by individuals with mobility limitations. These devices are purchased on a priority basis to assist patients unable to walk correctly; hence, they must be made inexpensive for patients. However, these fees are reasonable for a subset of affluent patients but not for other patients. The wheelchair with additional functions is priced between USD 1,000 and USD 2,000, and the wheelchair with advanced features costs approximately USD 7,100. Scewo BRO, a specialized powered wheelchair, costs USD 40,525.45. The most durable and high-quality rollator walker costs around USD 600. Primarily in emerging and disadvantaged nations, these prohibitive costs restrict access to mobility devices. In addition, the varying purchasing power of patients across the globe hinders market expansion.
According to figures released by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the populace of Asia-Pacific is aging at an unprecedented rate, with the number of older people expected to double from 535 million in 2015 to about 1.3 billion by 2050. As this demographic is more susceptible to age-related conditions like visual impairments, arthritis, and spinal cord issues, it is anticipated that the need for personal mobility devices will increase in developing nations. Consequently, the increase in the elderly population in emerging nations, coupled with the competitive and cheap costs of personal mobility devices, is predicted to generate lucrative prospects for market participants over the forecast period.
| Study Period | 2020-2032 | CAGR | 7.4% |
| Historical Period | 2020-2022 | Forecast Period | 2024-2032 |
| Base Year | 2023 | Base Year Market Size | USD XX Billion |
| Forecast Year | 2032 | Forecast Year Market Size | USD XX Billion |
| Largest Market | North America | Fastest Growing Market | Europe |
The region-wise segmentation of the global personal mobility devices market includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.
North America will command the market with the largest share while growing at a CAGR of 6.7%. The expansion of the regional market is primarily attributable to an increase in the occurrence of diseases such as spinal cord disease, joint pain, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as an increase in the number of elderly people who are especially sensitive to Parkinson's and arthritis. According to the Parkinson's Foundation, around one million persons in the United States suffer from Parkinson's disease and have difficulty walking. Additionally, the number is anticipated to increase to 1.2 million by 2030. The United States will likely hold the largest share in the region. This development is primarily attributable to the country's growing arthritis patient population. According to figures released by the Arthritis Organization, over 91 million US adults will live with arthritis in 2019.
In addition, expanding government initiatives about walking aid for the elderly and crippled is anticipated to create attractive growth prospects. In Ontario and Canada, for instance, the Assistive Devices Program of the Ontario Department of Health and Long-Term Care provides financial assistance and support to Ontario citizens with long-term handicap. It includes equipment like wheelchairs, rollators, walkers, scooters, canes, crutches, and adapted seating. In addition, the presence of numerous producers of personal mobility devices in the region is likely to have a beneficial effect on the market expansion.
Europe will expand at a CAGR of 7.1% and hold USD 5,441 million. The market for personal mobility devices in Europe is anticipated to grow steadily over the forecast period. This expansion is primarily attributable to an aging population needing long-term care, the availability of technologically sophisticated mobility-assisting technologies, and increased demand for home healthcare services. In addition, the market for personal mobility devices is primarily driven by the worrisome rise in mobility-impairing disorders. Together, these elements are anticipated to create new prospects for European makers of personal mobility devices. Moreover, according to WHO data, the number of persons aged 60 and over is projected to increase by 56.0% between 2019 and 2030, from 960 million in 2017 to 1.3 billion. Consequently, such factors are anticipated to expand the European personal mobility devices market.
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The global personal mobility devices market is classified based on product, end-user, and region.
Based on the product, the categories include walking aids (rollators, canes, crutches, and walkers), wheelchairs (manual and powered), and scooters.
The wheelchairs section is projected to advance at a CAGR of 7.5% and hold the largest market share. A wheelchair is one of the most frequent and helpful mobility aids for injured, crippled, or elderly persons. A chair is a wheeled gadget on which the user sits and operates independently. There are manual and motorized wheelchairs available on the market. These wheelchairs have a metal, plastic, or rubber frame, a seat, one or two footplates, and four wheels, typically two small wheels in front and two large wheels in back. Foldable and typically low-end, manual wheelchairs can be folded.
In contrast, electric power wheelchairs, powered by an electric motor, often utilize differential steering and buttons or switches for movement, and propulsion is made possible by batteries and electric motors. The majority of wheelchair users are those who have undergone spinal cord surgery. During the forecast period, the segment's growth is anticipated to be fueled by a rise in spine injuries worldwide.
The scooters section will hold the second-largest market share. A scooter is an electric-powered two-wheeled vehicle on which the rider sits and controls movement. Globally, people with mobility issues or the elderly can benefit from using tiny, electric mobility scooters with seated assistance. Unlike a manual wheelchair, this scooter does not require stamina or arm/shoulder flexibility; therefore, it can be operated by disabled and elderly individuals. The segment's growth resulted from increased mobility scooter awareness and increased mobility scooter use in developed nations. In the following years, an increase in the older population is anticipated to significantly impact the scooters section of the personal mobility devices market.
Based on end-user, the categories are hospitals, homecare, and others.
The homecare section is projected to advance at a CAGR of 7.4% and hold the largest share. Homecare implies health or compassionate care provided by a licensed caregiver at the patient's or client's home. It involves a vast array of tasks, such as nurse-assisted paramedical care and support with activities of daily living for the sick, crippled, or aged. An increase in the number of elderly individuals who are more susceptible to mobility disorders like osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as an increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases and developmental disabilities among children, are anticipated to drive the expansion of the homecare segment market over the forecast period. In addition, as people age, family support for long-term caregiving decreases, and structured long-term caregiving services become more expensive. Due to these societal shifts, the need for homecare equipment like mobility devices, such as walking aids, is projected to increase.
The hospital section will hold the second-largest share. A hospital is a healthcare facility that treats patients using professional medical and nursing personnel and medical equipment. Owing to variables including well-equipped diagnostic rooms, increased purchasing power, the availability of highly qualified healthcare practitioners, and the rise in health coverage for hospital-based healthcare services from private and group insurance programs, hospitals emerged with the second largest market share in the global personal mobility devices market. In addition, the rise in hospital admissions due to increased road accidents, spinal cord injuries, and meningitis is projected to increase demand for personal mobility devices.
COVID-19 has positive and negative market consequences, as carbon emissions have decreased globally due to the lockout. COVID-19's reduction in emissions is a short-term benefit. Still, when industries and enterprises attempt to recoup some of their financial losses in the first quarter of the year, carbon emissions will rise dramatically. COVID-19 had a negative impact on global recycling efforts. Countries, notably the United States, have halted or decreased recycling programs to focus on collecting additional domestic waste or because services have been disrupted by the virus.
Also, with industries slowly returning to normalcy following the COVID-19 outbreak, this shift in workplace health and safety is expected to increase due to mandatory social distancing and continuous personal care through sanitization to eliminate even the tiniest possibility of COVID-19 spread. COVID-19 has impacted various companies' revenues, and if the lockdown is lifted, companies will turn their attention to operations to make up for their losses.
