Car & Vehicle Hoists

At a Glance: Southwell Vehicle Hoists are robust, custom-engineered car lift solutions designed to optimise vehicle access in space-constrained parking developments. Fully designed and manufactured in Australia, our premium hoists are design-registered to meet all strict local safety frameworks, including the NSW Design and Building Practitioner (DBP) Regulations.

With versatile integrations like detachable or trafficable roofs and integrated vehicle turntables, Southwell delivers tailored engineering solutions for the most complex architectural and parking access challenges.

The core of our vehicle hoist range is the flagship SCH-6030 model. Purpose-built to accommodate B99 vehicles (encompassing 99% of passenger and light commercial vehicles on Australian roads), it features a generous platform size of up to 6000mm long and 3000mm wide to ensure effortless, stress-free access for drivers of all vehicle sizes.

Seamless operation via a wireless remote-control fob means you never need to leave the comfort of your car. For added operational flexibility and convenience, we integrate a premium push-button control panel directly inside the cabin and can replicate these controls across nominated, or all, landing levels.

We build and rigorously performance-test every single unit in our Australian factory, ensuring your lift arrives on-site optimised for rapid installation. When physical space is limited, Southwell vehicle hoists offer a truly customisable, high-performance solution for effective car park access without compromising on valuable architectural footprints.

Key Operational Advantages

The Southwell engineering team designs every vehicle hoist from the ground up to minimise maintenance downtime, optimise structural longevity, and maximise your property’s usable footprint.

Customisable Lift Shafts: Choose from our proven standard configurations or collaborate with our team to specify custom lift shaft dimensions, entry configurations, and structural features tailored to the exact architectural layout of your property.

Intelligent PLC Controls: Our systems are managed by an advanced, built-in Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). This infrastructure includes smart self-diagnostic features and error-logging to ensure smooth, uninterrupted daily operation and faster troubleshooting.

Heavy-Duty Lifting Mechanism: Driven by premium, Australian-made hydraulic cylinders, our heavy-duty lifting infrastructure is structurally engineered to survive exceptional duty cycles, offering peerless reliability and decades of service life.

Watch our Car Hoists introduction video

Safety Features & Australian Standard Compliance

Safety is the absolute foundation of our engineering and manufacturing process. All Southwell vehicle hoists are officially design-registered with SafeWork and strictly adhere to all relevant building codes and Australian Standards to guarantee total peace of mind for specifiers, builders, and users alike.

Failsafe Emergency Lowering (UPS Integration): In the event of a property-wide power outage, an integrated Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system automatically engages. This safety backup allows the lift platform to be safely lowered to the next lowest level and automatically opens the doors, ensuring drivers can exit safely and without delay.

AS1418.8 Personnel Compliance: All Southwell car hoists fully comply with AS1418.8 Parts 1 and 8 (Special Purpose Appliances). In-cabin and landing operating devices are designed to meet relevant accessibility requirements under AS1735.12, and all electrical engineering installations meet or exceed AS3000 wiring standards.

Built-in Emergency Comms: Each vehicle lift features a dedicated, hands-free 4G GSM emergency intercom contact system. For commercial developments requiring secondary fail-safes, dual-SIM options are available to significantly enhance network resilience and mitigate single-carrier network downtime.

Heavy-Duty Classification (AS5246.1): Formally classified under AS5246.1 (Class A6), our hoists are structurally engineered and calculated to withstand the heaviest material workloads, rapid duty cycles, and intense commercial or residential usage over a prolonged lifespan.

Customisation & Integration Options

Because every residential and commercial facility presents unique architectural, structural, and operational challenges, Southwell offers extensive customisation options. We ensure your vehicle hoist integrates seamlessly into your building layout while matching your exact aesthetic and security preferences.

BMS & Security Integration: We can seamlessly interface the car hoist with your development's existing Building Management Systems (BMS), CCTV security networks, and smart Access Control readers (including RFID, swipe cards, or number plate recognition systems) to regulate authorised vehicle entry.

Premium Architectural Finishes: Tailor the visual identity of your car lift to suit luxury residential apartments or premium commercial spaces. Select from a wide palette of highly durable industrial powder coatings, or collaborate with our design team for a completely bespoke cabin interior finish.

Flexible Door Configurations & Certified Fire Ratings: While standard configurations feature space-optimising, vertical electric aluminium roller shutters (non-fire rated) to maximise clear loading space, we also offer sectional doors, high-speed doors, or fully certified fire-rated steel shutters (-/60/- or -/120/- FRL ratings) across selected or all floor landings.

Hydraulic Drive Options (Mast vs. Scissor Mechanisms): A heavy-duty hydraulic mast arrangement is supplied as our reliable standard configuration. However, engineered hydraulic scissor mechanisms are readily available for specialised projects where shaft width must be strictly minimised, or when implementing advanced trafficable and detachable roof layouts.

VIEW PRODUCT GALLERY

Standard Technical Specifications (SCH-6030)

The table below highlights the standard engineering parameters for our flagship SCH-6030 vehicle hoist.

Custom Engineering Support
If your project demands heavy-duty commercial truck carrying capacities up to 30,000 kg, bespoke platform widths, or vertical travel distances greater than 15,000 mm, please contact our design engineering team directly for custom specifications tailored to your site.

Specification	Standard Parameter (SCH-6030 Model)
Lifting Capacity	3,000 kg standard (Heavy-duty truck hoists up to 30,000 kg available)
Maximum Vertical Travel	Up to 15,000 mm (Standard catalogue configuration)
Number Landings	Up to 4 landings standard (Up to 6 landings possible via engineering review)
Lifting Speed	130 mm/s to 300 mm/s (Optimised based on motor and power allocation)
Power Requirements	415V, 3-Phase (Utilising a D-Curve circuit breaker)
Pit Depth Required	Minimum 400 mm (Note: Deeper pits are required as travel distance increases. Contact us for exact project requirements)
Standard Headroom	3,000 mm (Engineered for a 2,200 mm platform configuration)
Platform Cabin Height	2,200 mm standard (Higher custom cabins readily available upon request)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to leave my car to operate the Southwell vehicle hoist?

No. All Southwell vehicle hoists are supplied with wireless remote-control fobs (functioning similarly to an automatic garage door remote). Drivers can call, enter, and dispatch the hoist to their designated parking floor without ever needing to step out of their vehicle.

What happens if a driver leaves their car engine running inside the hoist?

While it is always recommended practice to turn off your engine while inside the lift, Southwell vehicle hoists are engineered with ventilation paths designed to meet strict National Construction Code (NCC) requirements for passengers traveling inside an enclosed vehicle lift.

Can I use the car hoist lift shaft to ventilate the basement garage area?

This structural and mechanical element must be assessed and approved by your project's mechanical services consultant. However, we frequently manufacture and supply custom perforated doors to safely encourage and enable airflow between the lift shaft and the surrounding car park.

Do I have to reverse my vehicle into or out of the car lift?

Not necessarily. We can engineer our platforms with "through-car" accessibility, meaning operational doors are placed on opposite sides of the lift. Provided your site layout has an adequate turning radius, you can drive forward into the lift and forward out onto the next landing.

If a turning circle is completely restricted by your property's architecture, we can integrate an automated car turntable directly onto the hoist platform to rotate your vehicle during vertical travel.

How long does on-site installation and commissioning take?

Once your builder has fully prepared the site with the necessary structural shaft layout, structural compliance, clear access, and stable power, our standard pre-tested systems require under 8 weeks for total on-site installation. Larger commercial truck hoists or complex bespoke engineering variants may require extended construction timelines.

What engineering options are available if my property cannot accommodate a lift pit?

If underground services, water tables, or foundation slabs prevent the excavation of a traditional lift pit, we provide low-profile vehicle lift options that utilise a small, engineered ramp instead of a pit. Please note that pit less configurations require additional shaft space. Contact our design engineering support team to review your specific structural plans.

What is a detachable roof car hoist and why is it used?

A detachable roof hoist features a top shaft roof section that is not permanently fixed to the building structure. Instead, the hoist mechanically raises and lowers the roof structure during its standard vertical travel cycle. When the lift descends, the roof seals flush with the upper ground level and the entire lift effectively "disappears" underground. This configuration is typically specified to minimise the visual impact on surrounding views or to strictly adhere to local council building height restrictions.

What is a trafficable roof hoist?

A trafficable roof hoist operates using a similar mechanical concept to a detachable roof lift, but its top deck structure is heavily reinforced to withstand heavy vehicle loads. When the hoist is resting at a lower basement floor, the roof serves as part of the active ground-level driveway. This allows other passenger vehicles to drive completely across the top of the lift shaft to access parking spaces, driveways, or courtyards located directly behind the hoist setup.