Levistor trials energy storage solution for fast EV charging on the Strategic Road Network

Levistor, the London-based company that is developing innovative energy storage technology that enables super-fast charging of electric vehicles, is to undertake its first commercial product trials at National Highways’ test and development centre at Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire.

Levistor’s trial, to be conducted alongside batteries and solar installations, will start early next year. The trial will run alongside National Highways’ existing programme of work to invest in energy storage systems that can support electric vehicle (EV) charging on the UK’s motorway network, in particular where the existing grid network infrastructure cannot support super-fast, high-powered EV charging.

The trial is a response to concerns raised by leading motorway service station operators who have called on the government to make sure the UK’s entire motorway network has sufficient access to power from the grid.

Levistor’s flywheel energy storage system (FESS), or ‘kinetic battery’, provides a short-term power boost to the grid wherever extra energy is needed to charge an EV.  Levistor’s technology enables EV drivers to get 100 miles of range with a 5 minute charge.

The Levistor flywheel, originally developed at London’s City University stores up energy from the grid during periods of low demand. This energy is then rapidly released through a standard EV charging point, allowing drivers to be on their way again quickly.

Levistor chief executive Matt Journee says “National Highways’ readiness to trial our commercial product is a strong endorsement of our R&D work to date and highlights the grid constraint challenges that need to be overcome if the EV roll-out in the UK is to be truly nationwide. Our system offers a solution to National Highways, the electricity network operators and charge point operators. We can deliver the power to fast chargers to meet the needs of EV drivers, especially those that are outside urban areas and those that regularly use the motorway network. Installing our systems across the country will give drivers much-needed confidence, especially long distance.”

The Levistor flywheel can be easily connected to the local grid and has been designed to be quickly deployed above or below ground singularly or in multiples. This makes them particularly suitable for service stations, bus/rail termini, fleet depots and distribution centres (for example supermarket deliveries and general retail).

Christopher Plumb, Energy Team Leader at National Highways said, “This trial will help showcase the product’s ability to overcome grid constraints and enable super-fast EV charging. This kind of innovative solution offers great potential to help improve the EV charging network and ultimately help accelerate the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.”