Donut Lab’s Solid-State Battery Claims: Hype or Breakthrough?

CES 2026’s boldest claim yet: a Finnish startup says it’s cranking out solid-state batteries now, not just promising them in 2030.

Donut Lab asserts it has achieved 400 Wh/kg energy density—33% higher than lithium-ion—and 5-minute fast-charging in production. Motorcycle will use 10-minute charge cycles and a 10,000-cycle lifespan, compared to lithium-ion’s 1,500 cycles. Production capacity stands at 1 GWh in Finland, with potential U.S. expansion if demand rises.

Marko Lehtimaki, Donut Lab’s founder, noted: "The bill of materials went down, and it is going down with every other vendor buying at the rate that we are selling them." Neil Yates of Watt Electric Vehicle Company added: "There will be no real active cooling requirement at all."

The company remains tight-lipped about its chemistry, citing pending patents and commercial sensitivity.

This secrecy echoes Henrik Fisker’s 2018 EMotion solid-state battery promises, which similarly delayed full disclosure until 2024. Both timelines suggest a 24-month hype window between public claims and tangible EV applications.