Three　distinct　pumped-thermal　electricity　storage　(PTES)　system　variants　based　on　currently　available　sensible　heat　storage　materials　are　presented:　(i)　Joule-Brayton　PTES　systems　with　solid　thermal　reservoirs;　(ii)　Joule-Brayton　PTES　systems　with　liquid　thermal　stores;　and　(iii)　transcritical　Rankine　PTES　systems　with　liquid　thermal　stores.　Parametric　design　optimisation　is　performed　for　each　PTES　system　variant　considering　various　system　configurations,　working　fluids　and　storage　media　from　a　thermodynamic　perspective.　The　results　show　that　amongst　the　investigated　systems,　the　recuperative　transcritical　Rankine　PTES　system　with　CO2　as　the　working　fluid　and　Therminol　VP-1　as　the　storage　material　achieves　the　highest　roundtrip　efficiency　of　68%.　Further　to　the　optimal　thermodynamic　performance　of　these　system,　their　corresponding　capital　costs　are　also　evaluated.　The　economic　performance　comparisons　of　selected　optimal　PTES　designs　reveal　that　the　recuperative　transcritical　Rankine　PTES　system　with　CO2　and　Therminol　VP-1　exhibits　the　lowest　capital　cost　of　209　M$　for　the　given　power　capacity　(50　MW)　and　discharge　duration　(6　h).　The　influences　of　the　power　capacity　and　discharge　duration　are　also　investigated,　with　results　showing　that　the　lowest　power　and　energy　capital　costs　are　3790　$/kW　(discharge　duration　of　2　h)　and　396　$/kWh　(discharge　duration　of　12　h),　respectively.(C)　2022　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.