Hitachi’s elevator at Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre is a documented milestone in elevator speed. In September 2019, Hitachi announced a Guinness World Records title for a lift with a rated upward speed of 1,260 metres per minute—21 metres per second, or 75.6 kilometres per hour.
Record descriptions need their date and operating context. This guide explains that certified achievement and other published high-speed installations. It does not treat an old “world’s fastest” headline as an undated ranking of every elevator currently operating.
What Hitachi’s 21 m/s record describes
According to Hitachi’s September 2019 announcement, the Guangzhou installation connects the ground floor with the hotel lobby on floor 95 in approximately 42 seconds. Its published travel distance is 440.4 metres and its rated capacity is 1,600 kg, or 21 persons. The stated downward speed is 600 metres per minute.
The different upward and downward speeds are a reminder to compare like-for-like figures. Rated speed, test speed, direction of travel and journey time are not interchangeable measurements.
Other documented high-speed installations
| Installation | Published speed | Source and context |
|---|---|---|
| Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre | 1,260 m/min; 21 m/s upward | Hitachi’s 2019 Guinness-record announcement. |
| Shanghai Tower | Up to 1,230 m/min; 20.5 m/s | Mitsubishi Electric’s December 2016 installation report, describing one shuttle lift with controllable speed. |
| TAIPEI 101 | 1,010 m/min; approximately 16.8 m/s | Toshiba’s technology description of its observation-deck elevators. |
These examples show achievements reported for named installations. They are not a comprehensive current league table, and their capabilities should not be attributed to FUJIHD or another supplier.
Why high speed involves more than a motor
At very high speeds, the design team must coordinate drive power, movement control, guidance, braking and passenger comfort. Hitachi’s record announcement describes vibration-control and cabin-pressure measures as part of its system.
For a buyer, the lesson is to ask how the complete proposed installation will perform. A speed figure without evidence about travel, load, equipment arrangement and the building interfaces is an incomplete specification.
Does a tall building need the fastest available lift?
Not necessarily. Passengers experience the entire journey: waiting, boarding, acceleration, travel, stops and exit. Increasing top speed alone may not resolve a queue caused by too little handling capacity, long door operations or an unsuitable arrangement of elevator groups.
The project team should compare speed together with:
- Building population and the busiest travel periods.
- Floor distribution, zones and entrance levels.
- Rated load and the number of cars.
- Expected waiting time and time to destination.
- Ride quality and the proposed control strategy.
- Energy assumptions, maintenance access and service arrangements.
Apply the engineering lesson to a real project
Use record-breaking installations as evidence of what specialized engineering has achieved, not as a shortcut to selecting equipment. The high-rise elevator procurement guide explains the evidence to request when preparing a shortlist.
For a FUJIHD enquiry, provide the building drawings and performance brief. Ask for confirmation of the proposed configuration and project scope. A suitable elevator is one that meets the building’s needs with documented performance and support, whether or not its top speed resembles a world record.
