Elevator

Elevators were introduced in The Sims 2: Open for Business, The Sims 2: Apartment Life, and The Sims 3: Late Night. They allow quick travel between floors and Sims can WooHoo in them.

They are added in Build Mode; only elevators added in a vertical "elevator shaft" will be usable, so all elevators in a particular shaft must be above or below the others in the same shaft.

The Sims 2
There are two elevators in Open for Business; The Ultravator by SchafftCo, for §1250, and The Going Somewhere by UppersCo, for §1400. There is also The Ultravator Shaft by SchafftCo, which costs §500, and has no doors. It can be used if the player does not want the elevator to stop on a particular floor. These items returned in Apartment Life, along with the Multiple Multi-Purpose Elevator, which costs §950.

Elevators have a 2x2 footprint, with the two squares in front of the door being reserved. Elevator doors act like other doors, they penetrate walls, and wall coverings will wrap around them. The lowest part of an elevator must be placed on terrain or a floor. All other parts must be placed on a floor. It is possible to place flooring on the top of a door or shaft section, which allows an elevator to be built against an exterior wall. Doors on upper levels do not have to face the same direction as the doors on the lowest level.

Unlike staircases, elevators can only be used by one Sim at a time. A player can direct a Sim to use an elevator by clicking on the door and selecting "Go To This Floor". This is not necessary if there are no stairs, but can be useful if the player wants to make sure that a Sim uses an elevator.

Elevators can sometimes be dangerous to Sims traveling in them, especially in lower-grade, cheaper elevators. Occasionally, the cable may snap, plummeting the elevator to the lowest level - this drop may kill any Sims riding inside, or it may simply shock the rider, who will step out unharmed. Sims on lots with elevators may have a fear of a cable snapping. After a cable snap, the elevator will need to be repaired before it can be used. If a Sim went through a plummet in a bad mood, they might die.

Players can "mix and match" Maxis door sections when building an elevator. For example, an elevator can have a "Going Somewhere" section on the bottom level, and "Ultravator" sections on upper levels. However, players may not be able to combine elevator sections made as custom content with Maxis elevator sections.

Sims can WooHoo in an elevator.

Custom Content
There are modified staircases, sometimes called "stealth stairs", which allow players without Open for Business or Apartment Life to simulate elevators, at least to some extent. There is at least one true elevator which was made as custom content for Open for Business (available here), but some players have reported problems with it.

The Sims 3
Elevators are included in The Sims 3: Late Night. Unlike elevators in The Sims 2: Open For Business, there is no risk of the cable snapping. The elevator also serves as a location for WooHoo. Elevators can be placed both in residential lots and community lots. Elevators in Late Night have a 2x2 footprint, with a 2x2 square in front of the doors being reserved. They can be found in the stairs, railing and elevators category of build mode. They can also be placed in high-rises.

Sims with the unlucky and/or clumsy trait often get stuck between the doors, or fall flat out when exiting the elevator. The chances of this happening are raised for Sims who have both traits. Toddlers will get the "It's Dark" and "Unfinished Walls" moodlets when in elevators.

Trivia

 * The elevators in both The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 play neighborhood songs from the original The Sims game.