Traditional hydraulic elevators are vertical transportation cabs driven by one simple hydraulic cylinder which emerges from a hole in the ground to lift the cab, and recedes back underground when the cab descends.

This system is practical in low-rise buildings from 2 to 5 floors, and sometimes up to 8 floors. Traditional hydraulic elevators normally reach speeds of up to 1 meter per second, which is relatively slow for an elevator but usually acceptable for short rides.

The below-ground hole accommodates the hydraulic lifting assembly as the cab descends. A holeless hydraulic arrangement instead keeps its lifting cylinders above the shaft base.