Abstract: A wheelchair lift having a single piston and cylinder mechanism for both raising and lowering the wheelchair lift and for pushing the wheelchair lift out to an operating configuration from underneath the vehicle and pulling the wheelchair lift back to a storage configuration underneath the vehicle. The wheelchair lift includes a lift mechanism having a first arm hingedly engaged to a wheelchair platform and a second arm hingedly engaged to a base. The single piston and cylinder mechanism draws these first and second arms up and down into operating and storage positions. A third arm is pivotally engaged between the first and second arms and a fourth arm is pivotally engaged between the platform and the base. The third and fourth arms swing parallel to each other to raise and lower the platform. The lift further includes a lock for locking the platform to the base for storage.