Donut Lab Defends Its Solid-State Battery Claims Amid Skepticism

Donut Lab, a Finnish company known for its hubless in-wheel electric motors, has been under scrutiny since its January CES 2026 announcement of a solid-state battery for the upcoming Verge electric motorcycle. The company claimed a commercial breakthrough that major players like CATL, BYD, and QuantumScape have yet to achieve. Critics, including SVOLT Energy’s CEO Yang Hongxin, have called the claims a scam, citing contradictory parameters. In response, Donut has launched a website and released third-party test results from Finland’s VTT Technical Research Centre to back its assertions.

Donut’s battery claims are impressive: an 80% charge in five minutes, 100,000 cycles, and an energy density of 400 Wh/kg, double that of typical lithium-ion cells. The VTT tests did validate the charging speed, with a pouch cell reaching 80% in 4.6 minutes at an 11C rate. However, experts like Eric Wachsman of the University of Maryland point out that the tests were limited to only seven cycles, far short of proving the claimed longevity, and didn’t weigh the cells to confirm energy density. They also noted visible swelling after just four cycles, a red flag for long-term reliability.

Donut’s CTO, Ville Piippo, argues they’re taking a different approach that the rest of the industry has overlooked. The company plans to ship the Verge TS Pro motorcycle, with some early customers expecting delivery by March, though later orders may be delayed to Q4. Until independent parties can thoroughly test the batteries or the motorcycles reach customers, the controversy is likely to persist.