We hope you don’t get motion sickness. Hitachi is manufacturing the world’s fastest elevator for the Guangzhou CTF Finance Center in China, traveling between the first and 95th floor of the towering 440 meter structure, which is still being constructed. The elevator will move at 72km an hour, or 44 mph, and will take 43 seconds to reach the 95th floor.
The incredible speeds raise a number of safety concerns that Hitachi says it is addressing with new developments, including “governor” braking technology that can detect excessive speeds and kick in an emergency stop as well as functions to reduce any side shaking in the elevator.
Hitachi is also developing a proprietary air pressure adjustment technology to reduce the sensation of ear popping.
Two of these high speed elevators are being manufactured for the building with 95 elevators in total, meaning every floor will be serviced at all times.
The Guangzhou CTF Finance Center is expected to open in 2016. Check out the artist rendition of the building here.
Irish journalist writing on business, tech and engineering.
