A new wave of elevator technology is being led by Germany based thyssenkrupp Engineering.

The Company reports that half of the world’s population already live in cities and this number will jump to 70% by the end of the century. In fact every day, builders put up the equivalent of a one-million person city.

Optimizing vertical development and preserving greenbelts for nature and recreation are priorities in today’s smart cities. Mid- to high-rise buildings offer the most economical and environmentally viable solution to numerous urban challenges. Taller buildings provide more living and working space without increasing their footprint on the ground. They also allow planners to achieve a smart grid by enabling the centralized intelligent control of energy.

Worldwide, more than 12 million elevators make seven billion trips and move over one billion people every day. A study by Columbia University students found that in New York City office workers spent a cumulative 16.6 years waiting for elevators, highlighting the importance of increasing the availability and efficiency of elevators.

Introducing the elevator industry’s holy grail and the end of the 160-year reign of the rope-dependent elevator. MULTI harnesses the power of linear motor technology to move multiple cars in a single shaft both vertically and horizontally!

Creating Shorter waiting times, Significantly increased capacity, Much smaller footprint, Substantially reduced weight and mass.

thyssenkrupp's latest elevator technology finds its first home in Berlin at OVG’s East Side Tower.

The rise in high rises

Cities need to expand without sacrificing open spaces and parks. That’s why the number of tall buildings along with their height is on the rise. With conventional elevators, the taller the building, the more shafts you need and the more space you waste. Standard elevators also limit skyscrapers’ functionality, design and shape. That’s why innovative solutions for moving people efficiently in these ever-higher buildings are a must.

The number of buildings over 200 meters has tripled since 2000. More than 180 buildings over 250 meters are currently under construction.

A 2013 paper on two-dimensional elevator traffic systems likens the use of one cabin per elevator shaft to using an entire railway line to connect two cities with a single train.

MULTI

At thyssenkrupp, they're driving the revolution in elevator technologies and services. The company has re-imagined the elevator, 160 years after its invention, by replacing its ropes with linear motors. In the process, they've opened the door to new possibilities – in all directions! 

MULTI combines rope-less linear motors and horizontal mobility with the many advances of their TWIN elevators. This makes MULTI a valuable shuttle for optimizing traffic. A double-entrance lobby further increases MULTI’s flexibility and handling capacity.
Leveraging linear motor technology

MULTI’s innovative exchange system allows the linear drive and guiding equipment to make 90° turns. How? By leveraging the linear motor technology developed for the magnetic levitation Transrapid train. 

With MULTI, multiple cabins travel safely up one shaft and down another in a single continuous loop, much like a circular train system on a vertical plane. The only visible difference to passengers – and it’s a welcome one – is that the doors open every 15 to 30 seconds, despite having fewer shafts compared to standard elevator systems.