The Best Electric Wheelchairs With Left-Hand Control

By Raphael, Founder, Heavy Duty Mobility. Last updated June 2026.

Short answer. An electric wheelchair is already a one-handed machine, because you drive it with a joystick instead of a two-hand tiller. So the one thing that makes a power chair a left-hand control electric wheelchair is the side the joystick sits on. On the Merits and Shoprider power chairs we sell, you pick Left Hand right in our Options and Upgrades at no extra cost, and you can add a left-hand swing-away mount if you want to pull up to a desk. Our picks and the full how-to are below.

Why trust this guide. Heavy Duty Mobility is a US-based mobility retailer, and for over 15 years we have helped riders find and configure the right setup. We order these chairs with the joystick on the left for real customers, and we back them with US parts, service, and warranty. The specifications and options here come from the manufacturers’ own manuals and from the exact configurations we build on each chair. If you are not sure which side or which control fits your hand strength or range of motion, talk to our specialists or your occupational therapist, and we will build the chair around your ability. Always test a new control layout in a safe, open space before you head out.

1. Merits Vision Sport P326Left-Hand Control Included$2,867
2. Forcemech Carbon F1Left-Hand Control Included$2,799
3. Bangeran Mammoth EXLeft-Hand Control Included$1,999
4. Merits Atlantis P710Left-Hand Control Included$4,910
5. Forcemech Navigator ProLeft-Hand Control Included$2,799
6. Bangeran PegasusLeft-Hand Control Included$1,699
7. Merits EZ-GO Deluxe P321BLeft-Hand Control Included$1,978
8. Shoprider 6Runner 14Left-Hand Control Included$5,769

How electric wheelchair controls work

A power wheelchair is driven by a joystick on the armrest, not by a handlebar. You move the joystick the way you want to go and the chair follows, so one hand handles steering and speed together. That is why a power chair is one-handed by design, and why it often suits a rider with strength or movement on only one side, including after a stroke or with hemiplegia.

The joystick sits in a control box clamped to a bracket under the armrest. That bracket is the whole trick, because it fits on the left armrest just as easily as the right. The joystick itself is the same unit on either side, so a left-hand chair drives exactly like a right-hand one.

Swing-away mounts. A swing-away joystick is fitted on a hinged arm, so you can push the control out of the way to pull up to a desk, a table, or a bed, then swing it back to drive. We offer this as a left-hand or a right-hand option, which means a left-side rider keeps the same close-up table access a right-side rider gets.

When a standard joystick is not enough. Some riders cannot work a hand joystick at all and need a specialty control such as a head array, a chin control, or a sip-and-puff system. Those are clinical, custom-fitted setups that we do not stock. If that is your situation, tell us or ask your seating therapist, and we will steer you to the right path rather than sell you a chair that will not work for you.

How to order an electric wheelchair with left hand control

How you get the joystick on your left depends on the chair, but on every model we carry it is simple and almost always at no extra cost.

• Merits and Shoprider. You pick Left Hand in our Options and Upgrades before the chair ships, at no added cost, or Left Hand Swing-away for the same small upgrade a right-hand rider pays.
• Forcemech. On the Navigator Pro, Carbon F1, and Ultralite G10 the joystick is detachable and clips onto either armrest, so you can set it on the left yourself with no tools. On the ARK, tell us your side before purchase and it is set at the factory.
• Bangeran. The 360-degree joystick on the Mammoth chairs and the Pegasus is removable and mounts on either armrest, and the Pegasus is sold as interchangeable for left or right handed riders.

Nothing else about the chair changes. It drives, charges, and is serviced the same way, just with the control under your stronger hand. Tell us your stronger side when you order and we set it up for you.

Quick comparison

Model	Best for	Drive type	Left-hand option	US support
Merits Vision Sport P326	Indoor, tight spaces	Mid-wheel drive	Left, or left swing-away	Yes
Merits EZ-GO Deluxe P321B	Light travel	Compact travel	Left, or left swing-away	Yes
Merits P101 Travel Ease	Folding for a trunk or plane	Folding travel	Left, or left swing-away	Yes
Merits Gemini P301	Outdoor range	Rear-wheel drive	Left, or left swing-away	Yes
Merits Regal P310	Outdoor comfort	Rear-wheel drive	Left swing-away	Yes
Merits Vision CF P322	Front-wheel travel	Front-wheel drive	Left, or left swing-away	Yes
Merits Atlantis P710	Bariatric, heavy duty	Heavy-duty bariatric	Left swing-away	Yes
Merits Vision Super HD P327	Heavy duty, elevating seat	Heavy duty	Left, or left swing-away	Yes
Shoprider 6Runner 14	Heavy duty, six wheels	Six-wheel heavy duty	Left, or left swing-away	Yes
Shoprider Streamer Sport	Compact travel	Front-wheel travel	Left, or left swing-away	Yes
Forcemech Carbon F1	Ultralight folding	Folding power chair	Left, reversible by you	Yes
Forcemech Ultralite G10	Lightweight folding	Folding power chair	Left, reversible by you	Yes
Forcemech Navigator Pro	Heavy-duty folding	Folding power chair	Left, reversible by you	Yes
Forcemech ARK	Premium travel	Folding power chair	Left, set at the factory	Yes
Bangeran Mammoth EX	Heavy-duty value folding	Folding power chair	Left, detachable joystick	Yes
Bangeran Mammoth	Value folding	Folding power chair	Left, detachable joystick	Yes
Bangeran Mammoth EX Auto Recline	Auto recline, heavy duty	Folding power chair	Left, detachable joystick	Yes
Bangeran Pegasus	Pediatric	Folding power chair	Left or right, interchangeable	Yes

The best electric wheelchairs with left hand control

These are the chairs we can build with the joystick on your left. Start with how you will mostly use the chair, then match the weight capacity to the rider.

Best for indoor use and tight spaces

The Merits Vision Sport P326 is a mid-wheel drive chair that turns inside its own footprint, the easiest type to live with in hallways, doorways, and small rooms. If you also need it to fold for a car, the carbon-fiber Forcemech Carbon F1 is light enough to lift on your own and still drives well indoors.

Best for travel and folding

The Merits EZ-GO Deluxe P321B comes apart for a trunk and the Merits P101 folds whole, while the aluminum Forcemech Ultralite G10 is another easy-lift folder. For the lowest price, the Bangeran Mammoth folds and still takes a left-side joystick. On the Forcemech and Bangeran chairs you clip the joystick onto your side yourself.

Best for outdoor range

Rear-wheel chairs track straight and stay stable at speed. The Merits Gemini P301 and Merits Regal P310 are the captain’s-seat options, and the Regal is built around a swing-away joystick mount we set on the left. If you want outdoor capability that also folds away, the Forcemech Navigator Pro is the heavy-duty folding alternative.

Best for bariatric and heavy-duty needs

Match the chair’s weight rating to the rider with a margin, and never round it up. The Merits Atlantis P710 is a bariatric chair that lists a swing-away joystick mount, the Merits Vision Super Heavy Duty P327 adds a power elevating seat, and the six-wheel Shoprider 6Runner 14 stays planted indoors and out. For a heavy-duty frame that still folds, the Bangeran Mammoth EX is the value pick.

Best for a younger rider

The Bangeran Pegasus is a lightweight pediatric chair sold as interchangeable for left or right handed riders, a rare left-hand option for a child or a smaller adult.

What left hand control will not fix, and what to watch for

Being straight about the limits matters more on a power chair than on almost anything else you buy.

The limit is not which chair you pick. Almost every power chair we carry can be set up with the joystick on your left, using the method that fits the model, as shown above. The real limits are different ones.

A power chair does not help if you cannot use a hand joystick at all. For head array, chin, or sip-and-puff control, see a seating clinic, because those are custom medical fittings.

If you would rather steer a tiller and spend most of your time outdoors, a mobility scooter may suit you better. A scooter still needs a working hand to steer the tiller, so read our companion guide to left-handed and one-handed mobility scooters before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

Is there such a thing as a left-handed electric wheelchair?

Not as a separate model. Because a power wheelchair is already driven by a one-hand joystick, any chair becomes a left-hand control electric wheelchair when the joystick is mounted on the left armrest. On our Merits and Shoprider chairs you choose that side when you order.

Can you move a power wheelchair joystick to the left side?

Yes, on the chairs in this guide. The control box sits on a bracket that fits either armrest, so we set it on the left before the chair ships, and the joystick works the same on either side.

Does choosing the left side cost more?

No. A standard Left Hand joystick is the same price as a right-hand one. A swing-away mount, which lets you push the control aside to reach a desk, is a small upgrade that costs the same whether you choose it on the left or the right.

What is a swing-away joystick?

It is a joystick on a hinged arm. You swing it out of the way to pull up close to a table, a desk, or a bed, then swing it back to drive. We offer it as a left-hand or a right-hand option.

Which electric wheelchair is best after a stroke or with the use of one side?

Start with the side you want the control on, then pick by where you live and your weight. For tight indoor spaces the mid-wheel Vision Sport P326 is a strong start, for outdoors the rear-wheel Gemini P301 or Regal P310, and for higher weight the Atlantis P710. Tell us your stronger hand and we set the joystick up for it.

Can I drive an electric wheelchair with one hand?

Yes. Every power wheelchair is driven with one hand on the joystick, which is what makes it a good fit for one-handed users. You only need to make sure the joystick is on the side you can reach.

Do you offer left hand control on folding electric wheelchairs?

Yes, on most of them. The Merits folding models like the P101 and P182 take the Left Hand option, the Forcemech folding chairs have a detachable joystick you clip onto either armrest, and the Bangeran Mammoth and Pegasus use a removable joystick that mounts on either side. Tell us your side and we set it up.

Browse our full electric wheelchair range, or contact us and we will set up a chair with the joystick on your side.

Both the G10 and Carbon F1 also lead our lightweight electric wheelchair lineup, and parents of younger riders can see the pediatric power wheelchairs page for sizing guidance.