Technology
How do elevators work?
An elevator works by raising and lowering a car using either steel cables wound by a motor or a hydraulic piston. A counterweight balances most of the car's weight, so the motor only has to move the difference — making it efficient and safe.
See it in motion.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson that shows exactly how an elevator works.
Step by step
- 1A motor winds cables that raise and lower the car.
- 2A counterweight offsets most of the car's weight.
- 3Hydraulic elevators instead push the car up with a piston.
- 4Safety brakes grip the rails if the car ever moves too fast.
Frequently asked questions
- How do elevators move up and down?
- A motor pulls steel cables over a pulley to raise and lower the car, balanced by a counterweight.
- What stops an elevator from falling?
- Multiple cables plus automatic safety brakes that clamp the guide rails if the car descends too fast.
- What is the counterweight for?
- It balances most of the car's weight so the motor only moves the difference, saving energy.