At the just-concluded CES in Las Vegas, Finnish startup Donut Lab caused quite a storm with an announcement that, if true, could fundamentally change the electric vehicle industry. The company announced there that it has developed the world’s first “solid-state” battery that is not just a laboratory concept, but is ready for mass production and installation in vehicles, boasting exceptional features that some can only dream of.
Executive Director Marko Lehtimäki claims that their technology has been fully tested, verified and is already in vehicles, specifically Verge Motorcycles motorcycles. The promised specifications sound almost unreal: charging in just five minutes, resistance to cold and safety that current lithium-ion batteries cannot offer, and retention of 99% capacity after even 100,000 charge and discharge cycles.
Doubts about technology
However, their announcement was met with a great deal of skepticism in professional circles, and even open accusations of fraud. Critics point out that Donut Lab did not provide any concrete evidence for its claims at the fair – there were no physical samples of the battery, only a 3D printed model, and the company did not publish any scientific papers or patents to support their innovation. Experts warn that the lack of transparency and the refusal to disclose the chemical composition or production methods raise suspicions that this is a marketing ploy rather than a real technological breakthrough.
The main technical complaint is about specifications that defy what we currently have in the battery domain. The claim of 100,000 charge cycles is particularly noteworthy, which is a characteristic of supercapacitors, not classic batteries. The investigators suggest that Donut Lab may be using supercapacitor technology from another Finnish company, Nordic Nano, so marketing that product as a “solid-state” battery is misleading.
Donut Lab
Furthermore, claims of an energy density of 400 Wh/kg with such longevity sound overly optimistic without solid evidence, so some commentators have already compared the situation to the notorious case startups Theranos, warning of the danger of making big promises without concrete coverage. Among the critics was included Ulderico Ulissichief investment officer of Chinese battery maker CATL, who openly called Donut’s presentation a scam.
Despite the criticism, Donut Lab stands by its claims, stressing that the first products will be delivered to customers already in the first quarter of 2026, that is, within 90 days. Lehtimäki insists that their batteries are real and represent the future of electric mobility, dismissing the doubts as unfounded. Whether the thing works outside the laboratory and whether it actually exists, we will see, therefore, soon.