Multi Service Tunnel Vehicles
Electric Multi Service Vehicles for Tunnel Maintenance
Our electric multi service vehicles are built to transport workers operating in narrow tunnel environments, dealing with limited width and turning space, and air that needs to stay clean. They're designed to carry maintenance crews, tools, equipment and materials along the tunnel and back again safely, with two-way drive configurations and load capacities of over 1,000kg.
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Alke ATX4 Double Headed Tunnel Vehicles
- Power: Electric
- Range: On request
- Load Capacity: 1,200kg
- Load Platform: 2,500mm
- Speed: On request
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Jack Dual Drive
- Power: Electric | 24 Volt
- Load Capacity: 500 kg
- Autonomy: Up to 8 hrs
- Seats: Up to 3
- Battery: 4 Traction AGM
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MC 480 1120 AC Double Ended Maintenance Vehicle
- Power: Electric
- Carrying Capacity: On request
- Load Capacity: On request
- Towing Capacity: On request
- Speed: On request
Need help choosing?
Common uses for Multi Service Tunnel Vehicles
What is a multi-service tunnel vehicle?
A multi service vehicle (MSV) is a trackless vehicle used to move people, materials or equipment through a tunnel. Our range supports teams working on day-to-day tunnel maintenance and servicing tasks that keeps rail, road, utility and cable tunnels running once they’re built.
Our electric multi service tunnel vehicles can also be used in mining applications.
These purpose-built electric tunnel vehicles give maintenance teams one vehicle that does a variety of tasks. They can carry a crew to a work area, bring tools, deliver replacement parts and act as a mobile working platform along the way.
Double-ended tunnel vehicle configurations
Most tunnels don’t have space for conventional utility vehicles. That’s why double ended maintenance vehicles like the MC 480 1120 AC and Jack Dual Drive, which have two-sided driving systems positioned at each end, allowing travel both forwards and backwards whilst cutting out risky reversing in confined spaces.
Cleaner tunnel travel with electric multi service vehicles
Diesel vehicles in an enclosed space bring exhaust fumes and noise, all of which a tunnel’s ventilation and your team will have to deal with.
Our range of electric multi service tunnel vehicles will produce no tailpipe emissions and run quietly. This makes communication between crew members easier and the working environment more comfortable during longer shifts.
It also helps projects and operators working towards diesel-free targets.
Choosing the right multi service vehicle
Every tunnel is different, and the day-to-day tasks you have to carry out will be unique also, so the right electric tunnel vehicle depends on factors like the space you’re working in and the work you need to do. Our sales team can support you in making the right decision, but it’s worth considering the following and more.
How much space do you have?
Width and height clearances come first, along with any pinch points such as doorways, cross passages or access shafts. Compact vehicles like the Jack Dual Drive, at 980mm wide, suit tight walkways. Larger vehicles like the Alke ATX4 suit tunnels with more room and heavier loads.
What are you carrying, and how many people?
Think about the heaviest load you’ll carry in a single trip and how many crew need a seat. Different vehicles accomodate different load carrying and ride on capabilities, with bespoke customisation options available to help you craft the most suitable vehicle.
How far and how long?
Run lengths and shift patterns determine the battery and charging set-up you’ll need. Let us know how long the vehicle needs to work between charges and where it can be charged, and we’ll specify around that.
What’s the floor like?
Our tunnel vehicles are trackless and run on hard floors and walkways. Gradients, surface conditions and how the vehicle gets into the tunnel all affect the specification.
Do you have site-specific requirements?
Lighting, beacons, speed limits, towing and hazardous area requirements are all worth agreeing upfront. If your site needs ATEX-rated equipment, see our explosion proof vehicles.
Our Multi Service Vehicles in Action
Tunnel maintenance vehicles are rarely bought straight off the shelf. Most are specified around the tunnel, the team and the tasks. Depending on the model, options can include crew seating, lockable tool storage, load platforms, racks for ladders and long materials, work lighting and beacons, and quick-change accessories such as the Jack Dual Drive’s quick-attachment system.
Our team recently supplied 4x custom-built MC 480 1120 AC Double Ended Maintenance Vehicles, designed for use inside the tunnel. The specification of each vehicle was tailored to the work it would carry out and the conditions inside the tunnel, and the vehicles are now used to transport people, equipment and materials in support of maintenance work.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
For tunnels and sites with hazardous area requirements, we can can advise and supply on ATEX-rated equipment. Suitability depends on your site’s zone classification, so share it with the team when you enquire.
Yes, speak to our team about arranging a demonstration on a multi service tunnel vehicle before you order. You can either visit our offices in Oldham, Manchester, or we can arrange an on-site delivery and producy demonstration of your chosen multi service vehicle.
Seeing a vehicle against your own tunnel layout and working practices is the most reliable way to confirm it’s the right fit. It also gives your operators the chance to try the controls and driving positions.
Maintenance multi service vehicles are smaller, lighter vehicles designed for tunnels already in use, while construction MSVs are heavy carriers that supply tunnel boring machines during the build. Construction MSVs typically carry tunnel lining segments to the boring machine.
Maintenance MSVs, like the Alke ATX4, Jack Dual Drive and MC 480 1120 AC, carry crews, tools and materials for the inspection and servicing work that keeps a finished tunnel running.
Battery life on a tunnel vehicle varies by model and specification. Most multi service tunnel vehicles are configured to suit the job, so there’s no single figure that applies across the range. Operating time depends on:
- The battery fitted
- Run lengths
- The loads carried
- Gradient
- How much of the shift the vehicle spends moving
Rather than working to a standard figure, we can specify your vehicles battery and charging set-up around your shift patterns. Our team can look at how long the vehicle needs to work between charges, where it will be stored and what power supply is available. The result is a vehicle that’s ready for your full working day.
To quote accurately for a multi service tunnel vehicle, our sales team will need details of your tunnel, your team and the work involved:
- Tunnel width and height clearances
- Pinch points such as doorways, cross passages or access shafts
- Number of crew to be carried
- Heaviest load per trip
- Typical run lengths and shift patterns
- Floor conditions and gradients
- Any hazardous area or site-specific safety requirements
Get in touch with these details and our sales team will recommend the right vehicle.
Electric tunnel vehicles produce no exhaust emissions inside the tunnel and run much more quietly than diesel vehicles, which makes them better suited to enclosed spaces. With no fumes, there’s less for the tunnel’s ventilation system to manage and a cleaner environment for the team.
Quieter running also makes it easier for crew members to communicate while travelling and working. Electric vehicles also support projects and operators working towards diesel-free targets.
Whether a multi service vehicle fits your tunnel depends mainly on the tunnel’s width and height clearances and any pinch points along the route. The Jack Dual Drive for example is 980mm wide, which suits narrow walkways and tighter tunnels. Meanwhile, other models might suit tunnels with more space and heavier loads.
To check fit, measure your tunnel’s width and height and note any doorways, cross passages or access shafts the vehicle needs to pass through. Then send these details to the ePowerTrucks team for a recommendation of the right electric multi service tunnel vehicle.