Elevators, Escalators & Vertical Transport Equipment worked example

Elevator Motor Load Margin with available motor and drive capacity of 110 kW-equivalent: a worked example

This scenario runs the elevator motor load margin calculation on the strong side: available motor and drive capacity of 110 kW-equivalent, with every other input held at its documented default. a product engineer or modernization specialist needs a quick motor headroom check before selecting a drive package

The inputs for this scenario

  • Available motor and drive capacity: 110 kW-equivalent (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 42)
  • Required hoisting load demand: 35 kW-equivalent (unchanged)
  • Reference load demand: 35 kW-equivalent (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Motor capacity headroom = available motor and drive capacity - required hoisting load demand) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 214 % for elevator motor load margin, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 75 kW-equivalent for motor capacity headroom.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 110 kW-equivalent for available motor and drive capacity.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 35 kW-equivalent for required hoisting load demand.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where available motor and drive capacity sits at 42 kW-equivalent and the headline result is 20 %, this scenario comes in 971% above the baseline at 214 %.
  • Use it during a modernization study, a duty or car-weight change, or when diagnosing whether a machine is sized adequately for its hoisting demand. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Elevator motor load margin: 214 % (headline result)
  • Motor capacity headroom: 75 kW-equivalent
  • Available motor and drive capacity: 110 kW-equivalent
  • Required hoisting load demand: 35 kW-equivalent

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Elevator Motor Load Margin calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.