The standard MAN TGE 3.180 4x4 is equipped with regular wheels, and thanks to its all-wheel drive, it already performs well on bad roads. The tracks, however, are intended for more serious terrain, such as snowy slopes or muddy fields, the developers claim. And to install them, you need just under an hour, and there is no need to visit a service station – you can do everything yourself.
As MAN emphasizes, the conversion is done like a regular wheel change. The only nuance is in the van's wheel hubs – before mounting the tracks, you need to install a special adapter plate that attaches to the original wheel bolts and provides a connection to the axles.
The manufacturer of the tracks for the van is TrackSystems; the addition increases the van's weight by about 300 kg. With them, the minibus can move at a maximum speed of 50 km/h.
According to the Germans, the tracked MAN TGE 3.180 is ideal for ski resorts: it can be used, for example, to transport guests between hotels and cable cars, as well as for excursions to hard-to-reach areas. The bus's passenger capacity is 8 people (including the driver).
Among other features of the TGE 3.180 that make it especially suitable for work in difficult conditions is the Seikel chassis, which raises the vehicle by about 3 cm.
The MAN TGE 3.180 with tracked running gear can only be operated on "soft" surfaces: snow, mud, etc. Before driving on the road, the tracks should be replaced with wheels to avoid damage.
For now, the tracks for the MAN TGE 3.180 are just a concept, but a production version is expected in the future.
