Interactive Comparison · India 2026

Home Lift Comparison Tool

Compare the four residential drive types — hydraulic, traction (gearless MRL), pneumatic vacuum and screw — side by side on cost, space, speed, energy, capacity, retrofit and maintenance.

4 drive typesSide-by-side matrixWeighted winnerLive costFree Tool

Recommended for your prioritiesHydraulicIndicative all-in ₹0 · 3-person · G+2 · Bengaluru

City

Capacity

Floors above ground

What matters most? (pick any)

With nothing selected the tool simply shows all four side by side. Select one or more to rank them.

Recommended: Hydraulic

Best match

Hydraulic

₹16.25 L

9.0/10

Rank 2

Traction

₹20.42 L

7.0/10

Rank 3

Screw

₹24.01 L

5.0/10

Rank 4

Vacuum

₹22.12 L

4.0/10

Score blends the priorities you picked. Cost shown is the live all-in estimate for your chosen size, floors and city.

Side-by-side comparison matrix

Attribute	Hydraulic	Traction	Vacuum	Screw
Indicative all-in cost	₹16.25 L	₹20.42 L	₹22.12 L	₹24.01 L
Pit needed	150-300 mm	300-610 mm	None	150-300 mm
Shaft needed	Yes	Yes	No — self-supporting	Light enclosure
Speed band	0.15-0.4 m/s	0.3-1 m/s	0.15-0.3 m/s	0.15-0.3 m/s
Energy efficiency	Moderate (idle low, lift draw high)	Best — regenerative, counterweighted	Higher — vacuum turbines on the up trip	Moderate — direct screw drive
Max persons	8	8	3	5
Retrofit-friendliness	Good	Moderate	Excellent	Excellent
Maintenance	Higher — oil, seals, tank	Moderate — ropes, brake checks	Low — few moving parts, no oil	Low — self-supporting, simple
Best for	Budget low-rise homes (G+1 to G+3)	Taller homes wanting a fast, efficient ride	Tight retrofits with no pit or shaft	Compact self-supporting installs

Pneumatic vacuum (PVE) needs no pit or shaft, which is why it leads on space and retrofit but caps at about 3 persons. All figures indicative.

All-in cost by drive type

For a 3-person, G+2 lift in Bengaluru. Your recommended type is highlighted.

Hydraulic is usually the most economical for low-rise; traction (gearless MRL) is the fastest and most energy-efficient; pneumatic vacuum saves all the civil work but caps at about 3 persons; screw-drive is compact, self-supporting and low-maintenance.

Civil work, GST and AMC vary by site and vendor. Treat every figure as a planning estimate.

The four drive types

Hydraulic · ram

Traction · MRL

Vacuum · PVE

Screw · drum

Choosing between drive types?

Read the full residential elevator buyer's guide for India — sizing, standards (IS 17900), safety and vendor checks.

Buyer's guide

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