From concept to gold: the collaboration that made history

A partnership that changed paralympic performance and led to Paralympic gold.

21/10/2024

Here is a story of partnership, of working together, of driving advancements and supporting initiatives that improve mobility for all individuals. Because when we combine our strengths, we can enhance the quality of life and ensure mobility for everyone, achieving our impossible.

How it all started

Back in 2021, Cédric Borremans – the Head of the Olympic and Paralympic Division, stumbled upon a young startup with an inspiring origins story. One of its founders – Colin – witnessed a manual wheelchair user burn his hands when braking in a downhill setting. This gave him and idea to build the first wheelchair braking solution to give more mobility and independence to wheelchair users. For Cédric, it was obvious – with the spirit of innovation and service to others, Eppur was a perfect partner to help deliver Toyota’s “Mobility for All” vision at the Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

"Caught in the moment of witnessing an innovative solution to a real-world problem, I saw in Eppur a reflection of our own values at Toyota. Their dedication to enhancing mobility and improving lives resonated deeply with me, making it clear that this collaboration could drive meaningful change for wheelchair users in general and for the Paralympic wheelchair athletes at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Athletes village. Eppur is an inspiration for all of us: seeing a problem, working on a solution and making it available for all”

says Cédric Borremans, Head of Olympic and Paralympic Division at Toyota Motor Europe

First wheels, first customers

In our collaboration with Eppur, we helped the startup get early feedback from initial users. We connected them with Para athletes to help validate their invention - the first-ever braking system for manual wheelchairs Dreeft, and build a case to use Dreeft during Paris 2024 Games. Inspired by Dutch bicycles, Dreeft wheels feature a "back-pedal" braking system, enabling users to brake by lightly pulling the handrail backward. We were among the first customers, initially purchasing a few wheels for some of our Global Team Toyota Athletes, the International Paralympic Committee, and others.

30 wheels for Paralympic athletes at Paris 2024

The Paris 2024 Athlete’s village had some steeps roads. To support Paralympic athletes, we have delivered several electric personal mobility devices targeted at different types of users. In addition to Toyota’s own solutions, we decided to purchase and offer 30 Dreeft wheels from Eppur at the village, and give them to be used for by the Para athletes during the Games with a goal to help reduce athletes’ strain when moving around the village. One of the first users of the wheel was Cuban Paralympic table tennis player Yunier Fernandez.

Golden opportunity

After a week of using the Dreeft wheel, Yunier asked if it were possible to get one installed on his competition wheelchair. With permissions from the International Paralympic Committee and International Federation secured, Yunier delivered a flawless performance and went on to win a Paralympic gold medal. And it wasn’t just any medal – with it, Yunier has won Cuba’s very first Paralympic medal in table tennis. Eppur and Toyota created a one-of-a-kind symbolic golden Dreeft wheel exclusively to mark this remarkable achievement.

The buck doesn’t stop here

With Paris 2024 over, our relationship with Eppur continues. The Toyota Mobility Foundation is funding clinical studies to get Dreeft wheels classified as medical devices. This classification will allow customers to claim reimbursement for these devices – a step that will further enhance accessibility and support for persons in a wheelchair. Through these efforts, Toyota continues to champion the cause of inclusive mobility and foster a future where mobility is a possibility for everyone.