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Levistor and the EIC Accelerator: Flywheels Beyond EV Charging

September 30, 2026842 words5 min

Levistor, a London company incorporated in 2021, builds flywheel energy storage, a "kinetic battery" originally developed at City, University of London. In June 2022 the EIC Accelerator selected it for a grant for a "flywheel grid boost for ultra-rapid EV charging", according to the EIC's list of selected companies. No project for this award appears on CORDIS.

In November 2024 Levistor announced its "first commercial product trials" at National Highways' test centre at Moreton-in-Marsh from early 2025, to see whether the flywheel could support high-power charging where the motorway grid is too weak, Renewable Energy Magazine reported. By 2026 its website described the business as "smoothing damaging power pulses for industry", with EV charging one of several applications. Its accounts at Companies House show £162,789 in cash in February 2025, down from £708,167 two years earlier.

2022EIC Accelerator selection, grant only
15Average staff, year to February 2025
£163kCash, February 2025
NoneCORDIS record for the award

Company file

Legal entity
Levistor Ltd, company no. 13216670, London
Incorporated
22 February 2021
Origin
Flywheel research at City, University of London
Product
Kinetic energy storage modules and control software
Target sectors
Industry, AI data centres, hoists and cranes, rail, EV charging
Staff
15 on average (year to February 2025)
EIC award
LevistorGridBoost, June 2022 cut-off, grant only

Where Levistor Stands Now

Levistor now groups its market into four "power problems": filtering transients in data centres and crushers, shaving peaks for cranes and presses, recovering braking energy on railways, and boosting power for EV charging hubs, lasers and fusion. It says every engagement starts with measuring a customer's power profile, and that solutions are "never sold off the shelf". Its website does not report the National Highways trial results or name customers. Companies House records share allotments in November 2025, February 2026 and May 2026.

"Fast, fierce, frequent power pulses limit industrial production and force grid infrastructure sized for the peak, not the average."

Levistor, website, 2026

The Technology: Storing Energy in a Spinning Mass

A flywheel charges slowly from the grid by spinning up, then releases power in bursts. For EV charging, Levistor said it would let a driver add 100 miles of range in five minutes where the grid alone cannot supply the power. The company claims millisecond response, more than 3 million cycles without measurable degradation and an operating life of over 20 years.

What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows

The award was for grid boosting for ultra-rapid EV charging. The National Highways trial was set up to test exactly that. But CORDIS has no grant agreement, so there is no budget, work plan or report, and the trial's results are not public.

  1. Grant agreement on CORDISAbsentNo record found.
  2. EV charging trialAnnouncedNo results published.
  3. Commercial productUnverifiedNo order announced.
  4. Market focusWidenedIndustry first, EV one case.

The Money

Levistor files abridged accounts without a profit and loss account. Its accumulated losses rose from £1.14 million in February 2023 to £1.84 million in February 2025, and share premium from £1.75 million to £2.26 million. Net assets fell to £420,231. Accounts for the six months to August 2025 are due by 24 November 2026.

What Cannot Be Checked

Questions for the EIC

Whether Levistor signed a grant agreement, how much was paid and by whom, what the National Highways trial showed and whether any customer has bought a flywheel are not public.

Why Europe Should Care

Motorway service operators such as Moto have asked the UK government to make grid access along all 2,300 miles of motorway a national priority, Renewable Energy Magazine reported. Storage that bridges the gap could let fast chargers open sooner. The EIC selected Levistor's answer, but the company now pitches it mostly elsewhere.

What the award promised

A flywheel grid boost for ultra-rapid EV charging.

What the record shows

A motorway trial with no published results, a broader industrial pitch, thin cash and no EU project record.

The Verdict

Trialled, then repositioned

Levistor tested the EV charging use the EIC selected, then shifted its sales story to industry. What the EU award funded cannot be traced.

Levistor and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.

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Eureka Network

Eureka Network offers multiple international collaborative R&D programs including Network Projects, Clusters, Eurostars, Globalstars, and Innowwide, with funding ranging from €50K to €6.75M per project depending on the specific program. The network focuses on market-driven innovation and deep-tech development across diverse technology sectors including ICT/Digital, Industrial/Manufacturing, Bio/Medical Technologies, Energy/Environment, Quantum, AI, and Circular Economy. Applicants include SMEs, large enterprises, research organizations, universities, and startups, with Eurostars specifically targeting R&D-performing SMEs.

EIC Transition

EIC Transition provides up to €2.5 million in funding to bridge the 'valley of death' between laboratory research and market deployment, focusing on technology maturation and validation. The program supports single legal entities or small consortia of 2-5 partners including SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs, and research organizations. Technology areas include Health/Medical Technologies, Green/Environmental Innovation, Digital/Microelectronics, Quantum Technologies, and AI/Robotics.

EIC STEP Scale-Up

EIC STEP Scale-Up offers substantial equity investments of €10-30 million for established deep-tech companies ready for hyper-growth and large-scale expansion. The program targets SMEs or small mid-caps with up to 499 employees who have secured pre-commitment from qualified investors. Focus areas include Digital & Deep Tech (Semiconductors, AI, Quantum), Clean Technologies for Net-Zero goals, and Biotechnologies.

EIC Pre-Accelerator

EIC Pre-Accelerator is a pilot program providing €300,000-€500,000 in funding for early-stage deep-tech development and preparation for the EIC Accelerator program. The initiative is exclusively available to single SMEs or small mid-caps from 'Widening countries' to support regional innovation development. The program covers deep-tech innovations across physical, biological, and digital domains.

EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges

EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges is a new pilot program offering €300,000 (Stage 1) and up to €2.5 million (Stage 2) for breakthrough deep-tech solutions through ARPA-style staged funding with demand-side integration. The program targets single entities or small consortia (2-3 partners) including SMEs, start-ups, and research organizations. Focus areas include Physical AI for autonomous robotics and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for animal-free biomedical testing, requiring TRL 4 entry with end-user commitment.

EIC Pathfinder

EIC Pathfinder offers up to €3 million for Open calls and up to €4 million for Challenge-based calls to support early-stage research and development with proof-of-principle validation. The program requires research consortia with a minimum of 3 partners from 3 different countries, including universities, research organizations, and SMEs. Technology focus areas include Health/Medical, Quantum Technologies, AI, Environmental/Energy, and Advanced Materials.

EIC Accelerator

EIC Accelerator provides flexible funding options including blended finance (€2.5M grant + €0.5M-€10M equity), grant-only (up to €2.5M), or equity-only arrangements for scale-up and market deployment of breakthrough innovations. The program targets SMEs, start-ups, and small mid-caps with up to 499 employees, with MedTech/Healthcare representing 35% of funded projects. Other technology areas include Biopharma, Energy, AI, Quantum, Aerospace, Advanced Materials, and Semiconductors.

Innovation Partnership

Innovation Partnership facilitates collaborative innovation between public and private sectors with typical funding of €1-5 million per project. The program supports cross-sectoral strategic technologies through public-private partnerships and consortia. Projects focus on addressing societal challenges through collaborative innovation approaches.

Innovation Fund

The EU Innovation Fund provides substantial funding of €7.5 million to €300 million for large-scale demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. The program targets clean energy, carbon capture, renewable energy, and energy storage technologies to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Applicants include large companies, consortia, and public entities capable of implementing large-scale demonstration projects.

Innovate UK

Innovate UK offers various programs with funding ranging from £25K to £10M depending on the specific initiative, supporting business-led innovation, collaborative R&D, and knowledge transfer. The organization funds projects across all sectors with particular focus on emerging technologies and supports UK-based businesses, research organizations, and universities. Programs are designed to drive economic growth through innovation and technology commercialization.

Industrial Partnership

Industrial Partnership provides €2-10 million in funding for industrial research and innovation partnerships focusing on manufacturing, industrial technologies, and digital transformation. The program supports industrial consortia and research organizations in developing collaborative solutions for industrial challenges. Projects aim to strengthen European industrial competitiveness through strategic partnerships.

Eurostars

Eurostars is a joint EU-Eureka program offering €50K-€500K for international R&D collaboration specifically led by SMEs. The program takes a bottom-up approach, accepting projects from all technology fields without predefined thematic restrictions. R&D-performing SMEs must lead the consortium and demonstrate significant R&D activities.

LIFE Programme

The LIFE Programme provides €1-10 million in funding for environmental protection, climate action, and nature conservation projects across the European Union. The program supports environmental technologies, climate adaptation strategies, and biodiversity conservation initiatives. Applicants include public authorities, private companies, NGOs, and research institutions working on environmental and climate challenges.

Neotec

Neotec is a Spanish program offering €250K-€1M in funding for technology-based business creation and development, supporting the growth of innovative Spanish SMEs and start-ups. The program covers all technology sectors and aims to strengthen Spain's technology ecosystem. Funding is specifically targeted at Spanish technology-based SMEs and start-ups to enhance their competitiveness and market presence.

Thematic Priorities

EU Thematic Priorities encompass various programs aligned with EU strategic priorities including green transition, digital transformation, health, and security initiatives. Funding amounts vary based on the specific program and call requirements, with projects designed to address key European challenges. Applicant eligibility varies by specific program and call, with different requirements for different thematic areas.
EIC AcceleratorBeneficiary Deep Dive#Levistor#flywheel#energy storage#EV charging#grid#United Kingdom
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