## Is Solid-State Battery Really Coming? Can Donut Lab's 100,000 Cycle Promise Be Trusted?

When it comes to solid-state batteries, this concept has been hyped in the industry for over a decade. Toyota shifted its timeline from 2020 to 2027, Samsung SDI announced 2027, CATL is aiming for 2030. Why? Because the gap between laboratory research and mass production is almost insurmountable.

But recently, a Finnish company called Donut Lab emerged, making a bold claim: "We can mass produce now."

**Sounds too good to be true**

Donut Lab's technical indicators are indeed astonishing: energy density of 400Wh/kg, compared to existing lithium batteries' 250-300Wh/kg; 5-minute charging; cycle life up to 100,000 cycles, whereas traditional lithium batteries last about 5,000 cycles; and motorcycle batteries that maintain over 99% capacity from -30°C to above 100°C.

This essentially outperforms current technology in every dimension. The most incredible part is they say this is not just a lab concept, not a "wait five years" pipe dream. The first batch of Verge TS Pro electric motorcycles equipped with solid-state batteries is scheduled for delivery in Q1 2026.

Alright, let's calm down and analyze who this company really is.

**This is not a PPT company**

Donut Lab was formerly Verge Motorcycles, a Finnish electric motorcycle manufacturer. Last year at CES, they showcased a wheel hub motor called "Donut Motor"—a ring-shaped structure, hollow in the center, with the motor built directly into the wheel. This isn't just a design concept; it's a real, running vehicle. It reportedly attracted negotiations with over 200 vehicle manufacturers.

So they do have products, are selling bikes, and have business experience. However, jumping from motor design to solid-state batteries is a whole different level of challenge.

**Lack of details, feels more like armchair speculation**

Looking through Donut Lab's publicly available info, there are almost no technical details about the batteries. They only say they use "rich, inexpensive, safe" materials, without relying on rare elements, and that their system costs are lower than current lithium batteries. But what exactly is their electrolyte system? Not disclosed. Any third-party testing reports or papers? None.

Among their claimed partners, besides WATT Electric Vehicles, others like ESOX Group and Cova Power are mostly newly established companies from recent months, with leadership overlapping with Donut/Verge. It feels like self-promotion.

Even more interesting, someone uncovered the master's thesis of CTO Ville Piippo from ten years ago—focused on modular motorcycle frame design, from a Finnish art, design, and architecture school. This raises a sharp question: does this team truly have the capability to develop revolutionary battery cells?

**The definition of "solid-state" is somewhat fuzzy**

In China, some models have claimed to use "solid-state" or "semi-solid" batteries—for example, NIO's 150kWh battery, SAIC MG4. But within the industry, the definition of "solid-state" isn't uniform. Some products still retain small amounts of liquid components, lying between traditional lithium-ion and ideal solid-state batteries.

Donut Lab repeatedly emphasizes they are "all-solid-state," but without independent testing, how much weight does this label carry? Hard to say.

**Price paradox**

There's an interesting logical contradiction here. Donut Lab claims that solid-state batteries will be cheaper than traditional lithium batteries, so the Verge TS Pro's price won't increase, with the base model still at $35,000.

But the industry consensus is that the production cost of solid-state batteries is 5 to 10 times higher than traditional lithium. Giants like Toyota and Samsung are still struggling with costs. How does Donut Lab suddenly solve this problem? Either they have achieved astonishing breakthroughs in manufacturing, or they plan to sell at a loss initially to gain market validation, or their "solid-state" isn't quite what we think.

**Verification approach is straightforward**

That said, Donut Lab's chosen verification method is foolproof: sell the bikes directly to users and let them verify in real-world conditions. They plan to produce 350 motorcycles in 2026, half in Europe and half in California.

This number isn't large, but it’s enough to generate initial real-world feedback. Once these bikes are delivered, competitors and independent testing agencies will inevitably disassemble them, measure capacity, and observe cycle degradation. By the end of March 2026, we should see whether their "mass production now" claim is genuine or just hype.

**Why focus on motorcycles?**

Electric motorcycles face similar but more acute pain points compared to cars. Their compact size and limited load capacity demand higher energy density. Most electric motorcycles today have a range of only 100-200 km. If Verge TS Pro truly achieves 600 km range with 10-minute fast charging, electric motorcycles will no longer be just city commuting tools.

Improvements in motorcycle battery life and the smaller battery pack size make motorcycles an ideal testing ground for new tech. Validating reliability on high-end, small-batch products first, then gradually expanding to cars, trucks, and energy storage—this is a smart approach.

**Global competition landscape**

The solid-state battery race is currently highly concentrated in East Asia and the US. China accounts for 83% of global capacity; Japan has Toyota, Nissan, Panasonic; South Korea has Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution; the US has QuantumScape, Solid Power. Europe lags behind significantly. If Finland's Donut Lab can achieve early mass production, it would indeed be a variable. But scaling from 350 motorcycles to large-scale automotive production presents entirely different challenges.

**Lessons from the past decade**

News of "major breakthroughs" in batteries is abundant, but few have actually reached mass production. Electrek bluntly states "sounds too good to be true." On Hacker News, someone listed over a dozen reasons why battery tech might fail: difficulty scaling, high costs, motorcycle battery lifespan issues, insufficient charging rates, material risks, safety hazards.

Donut Lab's statements at least verbally dismiss each of these concerns. But between verbal promises and real-world testing, the gap is often much wider than expected.

We’ll see the truth by the end of March. When the first Verge TS Pro owners start riding under California sunshine, their odometer readings, charging logs, and battery health data should tell us the real story.