Ray Lowrie, a retired Royal Marines Commando, former athlete and model, has had a Motability Scheme car for the past two years. He lost his left leg after he slipped and broke his ankle during Arctic warfare training in Norway. Following 11 surgeries over six and a half years and ongoing complications, he opted for amputation.
"I woke up for the first time in seven years pain free," he recalls. "Six weeks later, I was sent to rehabilitation, had my prosthetic leg fitted and was learning to walk again. Before you know it, I was pushing my limits physically and got scouted by the GB para-rowing team and took part in the first Invictus Games in 2014."
Crosshead: Ray's driving journey
His first car was a Nissan Qashqai before switching to the Renault Scenic E-Tech - following a test drive at the 2024 Motability Scheme Live event. "I drove to Birmingham with four suitcases. I knew if it could fit the four suitcases, it would be able to fit the wheelchair and the dogs. We had the test drive and I went back home knowing it was the right vehicle for me."
Ray enjoys the ease of automatic driving, though it hasn't always been that way. Three months after his amputation, he modified his manual car with a duck clutch (a hand-controlled clutch system). However, six months later, he made the full switch. "The adaptations were getting complicated, and with the automatic everything seemed easy," he says.
Of his current car, he adds: "It's great! It's quiet and smooth. I prefer driving it in eco mode, as otherwise it's a bit punchy. With eco mode, it gradually gets up to speed."
Though relatively new to the Scheme, Ray says the experience has been excellent: "What's really appealing is that it's absolutely hassle free. Everything is covered." He was particularly impressed by how easy it was to get a tyre replaced. "I called Kwik Fit and they knew all about the Scheme. They offered to fix it straight away and within 20 minutes I had a new tyre on my car."
Crosshead: Freedom to be active
Ray's electric car supports his active lifestyle. In April, he began playing wheelchair rugby after being contacted by the captain of the West Country Hawks, via social media.
The team trains in Plymouth, and Ray lives just outside Exeter. "With the electric vehicle, it only costs me £3 to drive there and back," he says. "I'm definitely saving a lot of money on fuel because I can charge at home with my Ohme charger."
He's made the most of cheaper overnight rates, too. "During the day it's on peak and I'm paying 29.5p per kilowatt, but between 11.30pm and 5am I'm only paying 7p per kilowatt," he explains.The charging is easily monitored through his Renault app.
Beyond rugby, his car helps him enjoy family adventures. "We live in Devon, so we're not too far from Dartmoor. We'll go out into the moors. We drive to a remote car park and go from there." He also enjoys coastal walks around Exmouth and Cornwall.
Earlier this year, Ray climbed Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) twice. "We stayed overnight on both occasions. We drove there in the Renault Scenic E-Tech, climbed up Snowdon, had a good meal, and then came back the next day.
I like to stay active to show that even with an amputated leg I can do all the things I was doing before." He even drives up to Newcastle to visit family a trip where it can be tricky to find accessible public charging points, but is worth it for independence.
Crosshead: Having a purpose
Last October, Ray travelled to Peru with his wife and a group of 31 fellow amputees to raise money for LimbPower and completed a charity trek to Machu Picchu. He met some remarkable people on the journey. "Some of the women there were in their 70s and said that all their lives they'd been excluded from sports and not allowed to do PE. But they were able to show they could hike all the way up. It was great to see," he says.
"If I can show disability in a positive light, I'm more than happy to do that. I do not want people to take advantage of my disability or feel sorry for me."
And his ambitions don't stop there - he hopes to take on the Great Wall of China. "I'd like more than just a day, and we're seeing if there's a charity we could fundraise for." He's also keen to return to the Invictus Games - this time as a wheelchair rugby player.
Want to get involved in wheelchair rugby? Check out the GBWR website.
Photos: Guy Harrop
