INOVATIV Apollo Workstations with Motorized Wheel System Explained

by Francesco AndreolaApril 19^th, 2023

At NAB 2023, we bumped into an interesting mobile workstation solution from Californian company INOVATIV. Indeed, their Apollo 40 and Apollo 52 heavy-duty carts are compatible with a motorized wheel system that allows you to move up to 544kg/1200lbs of film gear over long distances effortlessly.

INOVATIV Inc. is an American manufacturer specializing in the production of carts and mobile workstations for the film industry. A film cart is an essential piece of equipment if you want to comfortably carry your gear around set, but cameras, lenses, accessories and hard cases can quickly pile up and transform the cart into an unmovable payload.

On the show floor at NAB 2023, Patrick Blewett, founder and CEO at INOVATIV Inc., was kind enough to take some time to walk us through an interesting add-on for their carts that can solve this problem and save your back. Let’s take a closer look!

INOVATIV Apollo Workstations with motorized wheels – features

The INOVATIV Apollo 40 and Apollo 52 are heavy-duty collapsable mobile workstations that can withstand a maximum payload of 544kg/1200lbs. While this is quite impressive, you may still need some assistance pushing such an enormous weight on set. And that’s where an ingenious motorized wheel system comes into play.

A hand unit throttle assembly at the back of the cart controls the forward and reverse movement of the two 10-inch motorized rear wheels. These are run by a Brushless DC Electric Hub Motor powered by a 48V / 13Ah rechargeable battery that sits on the bottom shelf drawer.

According to the company, the battery can be fully charged in about 5-6 hours and can supply power for up to 15 hours or 64km/40 miles at full throttle. Moreover, the battery can also act as an additional power distribution module for external devices.

Size, weight, and design

Both the Apollo 40 and Apollo 52 share the same total height of 109.8cm/43.25” when fully assembled and 44.5cm/17.5” when packed down. The working surface is placed at a height of 108cm/40.5” on both models but measures 106.6x66cm/42×26” on the Apollo 40 and 137x66cm/54×26” on the Apollo 52. The Apollo 40 weighs 64kg/142lbs, while the Apollo 52 is a little heavier at (70kg/155lbs).

Both carts look to be built like a tank. They feature 6061 T6 aluminum construction with stainless steel parts and a corrosion-resistant design.

Price and availability

Pricing for the non-motorized version of the INOVATIV Apollo 40 and Apollo 52 carts starts at $4,299. The motorized wheel system will be available in Summer 2023, but its price is yet to be announced. We will update the article as soon as we find out.

For more information, please keep an eye on INOVATIV’s website here.

Do you often use a film cart on set? What do you think about this motorized wheel system from INOVATIV? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!