In January, a Finnish-Estonian startup proclaimed it had developed a really stable state battery, a holy grail for the expertise trade. Donut Labs’ cell wasn’t simply stable state, nonetheless. It claimed it was constructed from low cost and simply obtainable supplies, would cost to full in a couple of minutes and final for a whole lot of years. If actual, such a tool would change the face of the world, which is why loads of individuals don’t suppose it’s. And, as the corporate makes extra effort to show it’s telling the reality, the extra holes individuals are discovering to poke their fingers into. So, what the hell is happening with Donut Labs’ battery? After many weeks of analysis, I’m throwing my palms within the air, uninterested in the countless canine and pony present the corporate is placing on.
Strong state batteries
Standard batteries have improved loads in the previous couple of a long time however stay imperfect in some ways. Cells present in electronics and EVs generally use liquid or gel polymer as an electrolyte. These electrolytes are the reason for thermal runaway, the place the warmth of a battery will increase exponentially, and may develop into a main reason behind battery failure and fireplace. Plus, they’re fairly fussy, requiring a constant temperature for peak efficiency and to be handled fairly delicately. It’s why the trade has raced to develop a stable state battery that eliminates the liquid or gel polymer.
Due to their increased power density, stable state batteries needs to be lighter and smaller per watt than typical batteries. These advantages can be loved extensively however are very important for an EV the place weight and dimension dictate a lot of the way it operates. Strong state batteries are at far much less threat of thermal runaway, and will work in a a lot wider temperature window. Now, we’re already seeing loads of semi-solid batteries coming into the market, with fully-solid cells anticipated within the close to future. Chinese language battery large CATL advised on the finish of 2025 that its first small-scale manufacturing of stable state batteries is anticipated to start in 2027. Nevertheless, these first manufacturing runs are more likely to be restricted relatively than international rollouts.
Donut Lab
Enter Donut Lab. The startup is a subsidiary of Finnish motorbike maker Verge Bikes, well-known for its . Verge says it has constructed the “world’s strongest electrical motor household,” and that it made “all of the parts wanted to construct an electrical automobile.” Verge’s motors have since been included into not too long ago introduced Speedster EV.
At CES 2026, Donut Lab it had constructed the world’s “first full all-solid-state battery.” It mentioned this wasn’t only a prototype, however was “able to energy up manufacturing autos now.” In a shiny promotional video, the corporate mentioned it had solved the problems the entire trade had been working to unravel for many years. There was nothing however upside, with not one of the trade-offs its opponents had been pressured to make whereas creating their very own stable state batteries. And, it was able to be included into EVs beginning at the moment. Verge Bikes introduced it will add the battery into its TS Professional, with shipments anticipated to start Q1 2026.
Donut Labs’ battery
The corporate’s begins by saying the cell has an power density of 400Wh per kilogram, roughly twice the density of the perfect lithium ion battery in the marketplace. Proper now, it’s best to count on to get round 1,000 cost and discharge cycles out of any half-decent battery. Donut Labs is promising its cell will final for a whopping 100,000 cycles, even should you’re fast-charging the cell. The corporate guarantees customers will be capable of attain an 80 % cost from zero in round 5 minutes, and get to full in below six. Donut mentioned the cell affords a “clay-like” freedom of design, adapting to the precise wants of a particular product, relatively than the opposite manner round.
Naturally, pumping all of that energy into such a small cell will imply it’ll want loads of babying, proper? Not in response to Donut Lab, which says its battery will function in temperatures as little as -30 levels Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit) or as scorching as 100 levels Celsius (212 Fahrenheit). And, to high it off, it’s constructed from frequent, easily-available and low cost supplies that are “geopolitically secure,” relatively than from rare-earth minerals generally held by rival nations. All of meaning the cell can be cheaper to provide than the equal lithium ion cell and, better of all, Donut mentioned the battery is prepared for scaled manufacturing.
A battery that promised some of those options can be world-changing; one providing all of them can be world-shattering. It might upend provide chains, shift the worldwide stability of energy, probably eradicate reliance on so-called uncommon earth minerals and supercharge EV adoption. However Donut Lab supplied no proof for its claims, no trace as to what its course of was based mostly upon, and no signal it had the manufacturing capability to ship on its guarantees. Naturally, lots of people simply didn’t imagine what they have been seeing and listening to, and known as BS.
Persons are suspicious
Yang Hongqin, CEO of Chinese language battery maker Svolt, was quoted by as saying “any individual with even a fundamental understanding of the expertise would suppose it’s a rip-off.” Finnish newspaper reported that CATL’s enterprise capital head Ulderico Ulissi described the matter as “clearly pretend.” That remark prompted Donut CEO Marko Lehtimäki to reply on LinkedIn, saying that Ulissi would “remorse the vanity.” Tom Bötticher, CEO of battery startup Litona, posted on his perception Donut’s expertise is definitely tied to an organization Donut invested in, Nordic Nano. Bötticher discovered a pitch deck, which is not obtainable (however is right here on the ) which described Nordic’s power storage expertise as a supercapacitor.
Some have identified that Lehtimäki has a observe document of constructing robust claims about his merchandise. On Could 15, 2025, he introduced an AI startup, ASILAB, and mentioned in a equally shiny launch video that his crew had created a “artificial counterpart” to the human mind. Its first product, ASINOID, Lehtimäki mentioned, is a “dynamic self-developing organism designed to develop in functionality and in consciousness.” The corporate mentioned it will open up entry to ASINOID, however I’ve been unable to seek out any proof that any such entry has been granted. ASILAB has not responded to our request for remark.
Equally salty write-ups could be present in , , , and nearly each Reddit, YCombinator and Hacker Information thread discussing the expertise.
I Donut Consider.com
In response to the minor social media backlash, Donut Labs went on the offensive. It launched the web site promising a weekly drop of so-called proof to assist its claims. In a refined video introduction, Lehtimäki mentioned the criticism comes from events with vested pursuits, similar to opponents. He addressed the above assault traces straight, saying individuals have been assembling theories from scraps of on-line knowledge to create an unfaithful image. He additionally denied claims the battery was a supercapacitor.
In the identical video, Lehtimäki mentioned the media has amplified “so-called consultants” from the battery trade, taking their opinions at “face worth.” Naturally, rival researchers who would stand to realize by taking down a possible challenger have a pure need to garbage Donut’s claims. However as a result of lots of them are credentialled consultants within the area, their authority was elevated above his personal.
Crucially, Lehtimäki mentioned Donut didn’t publish validation exams on the time of announcement as it will have been equally dismissed by those self same biased voices. By holding the proof again, he mentioned it pressured Donut’s opponents to basically present their hand, making it simpler to refute them. To take action, Donut engaged VTT Finland, a analysis group which affords to 3rd VTT has carried out particular exams on cells equipped by Donut, the outcomes of which the corporate has launched piecemeal over a number of weeks.
It’s necessary to notice that do not make any statements which could possibly be seen to assist Donut’s claims. As an illustration, it says it was requested to “conduct impartial charging efficiency exams on the power storage units equipped by the client, which the client recognized as solid-state battery cells.”
The exams
Donut Lab printed a check for 5 weeks, every one every one designed to indicate off one key characteristic of the battery. noticed VTT quick cost a cell past the restrict of an everyday battery, after which it nonetheless had near 100% of its cost obtainable to be used. In , VTT charged the cell to full, after which discharged it in high-temperature environments. As soon as that was executed, the cell was charged once more at a standard temperature, however researchers famous that the pouch misplaced vacuum. Donut Lab later mentioned the vacuum loss was attributable to the packaging supplies not with the ability to face up to the temperature, relatively than a difficulty with the battery itself.
A VTT spokesperson advised me “through the remaining stage of producing, all gases are faraway from the cell, and the cell is sealed tightly below vacuum circumstances. The cell feels agency. If the cell loses its vacuum, it normally turns into barely mushy and swollen.” Primarily, if a battery loses its vacuum, it means it’s began swelling, which is seen within the images from the report. Swelling is deadly to a conventional lithium ion battery and, probably, the system it’s related to.
presupposed to disprove the concept that Donut was secretly promoting a supercapacitor, so VTT charged the cell to full and let it sit idle for 10 days. On the finish of that point, the cost degree of the battery appeared to carry regular, with a small drop generally seen in all batteries. Which appeared to verify the cell was a battery, relatively than a capacitor which can wrestle to carry its cost over longer intervals of time. Take a look at 4 was carried out by Donut Lab itself, taking a prototype of its battery in a Verge motorbike to a quick charger. The cell had a rated capability of 18kWh and it was charged from 9 % to 80 % — round 14.5kWh — in 12 minutes.
centered on the cell from Take a look at Two which misplaced its vacuum, to show it was not damaged. VTT’s report says it cycled the damaged cell 50 instances (as much as 90 % of its full cost) to see what occurred. VTT’s researchers mentioned it was attainable to cycle the cell, however that its capability started to degrade after the primary few, and by the tip of the method, it had fallen to almost half of its unique determine. The cell itself had swelled, nonetheless, with VTT saying “the cell thickness had elevated by 17 %, and the cell pouch was agency.” Donut Lab boasted that whereas a lithium ion battery on this situation would seemingly explode, its personal cell nonetheless labored.
When contacted, VTT mentioned it did full an project for Donut Lab however declined to make any particular touch upon confidential shopper assignments.
On March 31, Verge Bikes posted a claiming the TS Professional Gen 2, the primary to hold Donut’s stable state battery, was able to ship. Given March 31 is the final day of Q1, it’s the newest attainable day the corporate may announce this and say it has honored its promise. The accompanying write-up mentioned the bike will ship with both a standard-range 20kWh battery with a variety of 350km (217 miles) or a long-range 33kWh battery that ought to run for 600km (372 miles).
April 1
Then, on April 1, the corporate posted a video starting with a fakeout scene of Lehtimäki admitting the entire thing had been a rip-off. One arduous minimize later, and the clip pivots right into a Q&A, with an off-screen interviewer asking why anybody would imagine Lehtimäki on April Fools Day. He dryly responded that folks don’t imagine him the remainder of the time, however that the anomaly offered by the event was a profit. He would be capable of converse extra freely with much less concern of censure, or so he claimed.
Lehtimäki mentioned the collection of I Donut Consider exams already printed have been one other a part of his “3D chess” technique to get battery rivals to indicate their hand. And that the exams undertaken by VTT have been on a first-generation battery whereas the corporate was already engaged on the second. He did concede that the claims round cycle life have been based mostly on estimates, and that in the event that they needed to show it, they’d have wanted to start out testing a decade or extra in the past. However he batted away questions on power density, weight and dimension, saying you “wouldn’t ask a lady her age, and also you by no means ask a battery its weight.” He added these questions can be answered in future, in additional episodes of the I Donut Consider “full multimedia expertise.”
Donut Lab (YouTube)
Consequently, the weekly video collection will proceed till the total particulars of the primary technology battery have been revealed. Lehtimäki then teased that this cell can be transport, and the movies will shift focus to the second-generation cell with much better specs. However producing the I Donut Consider collection — which, it’s value mentioning is a advertising and marketing operate of the corporate making an attempt to promote us a brand new product — was expensive, and had run over finances, which has led the corporate to open its personal merch retailer, together with and
If you happen to’re already dealing with credible accusations of perpetuating a rip-off, and your massive reveal is to double down on misdirection, it’s not a very good look. Lehtimäki ended the video by speaking about how significantly better Donut Labs’ second-generation battery was, with a staged outtake displaying a notepad itemizing the specs for a third-generation battery with 1,000 Wh/kg power density, 100C cost pace and sturdiness for 1,000,000 cycles — as a consequence of be introduced at a future CES.
Evaluation
The discharge of those exams has seen elements of the web have interaction in a degree of interrogation. Folks have pored over each aspect of the experiences and movies making an attempt to work out what precisely is inside Donut Lab’s battery. A lot of outstanding YouTubers have produced deep dives on the matter, every one claiming the cell is actual, or not. There are numerous Reddit threads the place individuals are choosing aside the voltage graphs and claims within the experiences. And it appears each week there’s a new revelation about what Donut’s expertise is and the place it got here from. Loads of individuals on-line are chasing down threads tied to power expertise firms like Holyvolt and CT-Coating, or inspecting the cost graphs in opposition to a . I’ll spare you the small print (for now). Finnish newspaper decried the outcomes of the fifth check, saying the cell didn’t lose its vacuum. It quoted Finnish battery professional Juho Heiska, who mentioned the corporate has simply used a conventional cell that’s sufficiently hardy to resist this abuse within the brief time period.
Donut Labs (YouTube)
Even to a non-expert, there’s clearly a niche between what Donut promised and what its exams are displaying. As an illustration, the corporate mentioned it will be capable of quick cost a Verge TS to full in lower than 10 minutes. However, in Take a look at 4, it took 12 minutes to get from 9 % to 80 % — not a nasty charging time, however actually not as swift as the corporate pledged. That mentioned, if we take the corporate’s claims at face worth, then with the ability to quick cost a battery at that form of pace with simply air cooling is noteworthy. No less than, will probably be if you are able to do that often, and one or two journeys to the charger don’t depart you with what Reddit likes to name a afterward.
Sadly, it’s been troublesome to seek out battery researchers keen to go on the document about Donut Labs. I sought out consultants in academia who weren’t tied to trade backing, and so wouldn’t be accused of getting a vested curiosity within the matter. However all of them refused to go on the document. Multiple I contacted mentioned they have been effectively conscious of the saga, and had loads of emotions in regards to the matter. However they have been unwilling to show themselves to the possibly intensive social media scrutiny that comes from weighing in.
I’m Donut skeptical
Personally, I’ve been suspicious of how Donut Labs has gone about demonstrating its expertise. In spite of everything, should you have been really assured about your product and its expertise, you’ll absolutely be capable of share fundamental details about it. Desk stakes stuff, like the load and dimension of the battery cell you handed over for testing. As notes, knowledge like that may assist us all see if its power density claims maintain water. As a substitute, the corporate has engaged in an ornate kabuki which solely serves to additional undermine its case. You possibly can go a good distance on the again of little or no belief, however the grander the guarantees get and the much less keen you’re to share proof, the quicker that belief evaporates.
And, you understand how somebody spends loads of time speaking round one thing, in order to not be caught in a deliberate lie? Donut Labs’ movies can really feel loads like that, since there are such a lot of issues it’s deliberately not making clear. Somewhat than taking the prospect to supply even a small quantity of substantive proof to assist its preliminary claims, it has as a substitute moved the goalposts. So, relatively than speaking in regards to the efficacy of its first-generation product, it’s dangling the second and third in entrance of us to hopefully distract us.
Look, I need to be even-handed, and provides the corporate the fairest shake that I can, and clearly if the cell can ship on its guarantees, I’ll be overjoyed. However we’ve all seen scams earlier than, and till Donut Lab begins providing up much more knowledge, it hasn’t earned something near the advantage of the doubt.
