Casting a glance into future mobility: thyssenkrupp shows ropeless MULTI at the German Pavilion of EXPO 2020 Dubai

When EXPO 2020 opens its doors in Dubai in a year and a half, the world's first ropeless elevator for skyscrapers will feature prominently. The innovative and pioneering system from thyssenkrupp Elevator was selected as one of the lighthouse projects to be presented in the German Pavilion, called CAMPUS GERMANY, by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. From October 2020 to April 2021, more than 190 countries will seize the opportunity and present their most innovative technologies at the World Expo.

“Dubai is both a significant global business hub and a tourist destination. It’s a city that provides a platform for new inventions, attracting people and businesses from around the world. MULTI will support this aim, demonstrating to those at EXPO 2020 precisely how technology can support the growth of urban mobility”, says Peter Walker, CEO at thyssenkrupp Elevator. 

The revolution in elevator construction that MULTI provides changes the way people move inside buildings, unlocking completely new perspectives for architects, planners and operators. Its capabilities and technical characteristics are game-changers for the industry. MULTI was unveiled to the public in June 2017 at thyssenkrupp’s 800-foot, state-of-the-art test tower in Rottweil, Germany. The solution requires fewer and smaller shafts than conventional elevators and can decrease a building’s elevator footprint by up to 50-percent. This is particularly important considering current elevator-escalator footprints can occupy up to 40-percent of a high-rise building’s floor space.

MULTI promises no less than a revolution in the elevator industry. By employing linear motors for each individual cabin, no ropes are needed at all. MULTI can move vertically as well as horizontally, and even moves on inclines. Instead of one cabin per shaft, MULTI offers multiple cabins operating in a loop. This results in a 50-percent higher transport capacity, as well as reduced waiting times for passengers.

MULTI creates unlimited new design possibilities and building efficiencies for the cities of tomorrow. It removes height limitations and can be used for skybridges to shuttle from one building to another. It can be also used to open up new directions of travel in underground transport hubs.

MULTI moves with a top speed of five to six m/s and requires dramatically lower peak power – as much as a 70-percent reduction when compared to conventional elevator systems. This allows for better management of a building’s energy needs and reduces investment costs in the power supply infrastructure. All these characteristics make MULTI the optimal solution for high-rise buildings over 300m in height.

At the German Pavilion during EXPO 2020, the innovative MULTI showcase will be presented using digital and real elements, to demonstrate tomorrow’s people transportation within and between buildings, giving a glimpse of what future urban mobility could look like.

Within the future urban mobility concept presented by the EXPO, MULTI will demonstrate how various transportation solutions, from underground logistics to air taxis, can be interconnected with the ropeless elevator. Skybridges powered by horizontally-moving MULTI will support lifting passenger transportation to a whole new level.

On behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Koelnmesse GmbH is responsible for the organisation and operation of the German Pavilion at EXPO 2020. Concept, planning and realisation of the German Pavilion are the responsibility of the ‘Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Pavillon EXPO 2020 Dubai’, consisting of the two companies’: ‘facts and fiction GmbH’ (Cologne) and ‘NUSSLI Adunic AG’ (Hüttwilen, Switzerland). facts and fiction is responsible for the content concept, as well as the exhibition and media design, while NUSSLI Adunic is responsible for the structural execution. CAMPUS GERMANY will cover an area of 4,600 sqm, with numerous innovations related to the EXPO topic of sustainability. Beyond the Future Energy Lab and Biodiversity Lab, there will also be a Future City Lab. The cities of tomorrow need adequate mobility solutions – that’s where thyssenkrupp Elevator and MULTI come into play.