From Transport Evolved.
In this deep dive, Kate peels back the layers of the Donut Solid State Battery hype to see how the marketing claims from CES 2026 hold up against the data from VTT Finland. We examine the 11C charge rate and investigate the "Zero Compression" claims. We also explare the controversy over claims Donut Lab has truly discovered a new category of energy storage or have simply optimized existing technology to its absolute limit.
The trilemma of energy density, cycle life, and charging speed remains the ultimate benchmark for any new battery. While the VTT reports confirm some claims, critical questions remain regarding the 400 Wh/kg density and the alleged 100,000-cycle lifespan. Without a certified weight for the test cells or long-term degradation data, it is difficult to determine if this is a forever battery, a highly specialized hybrid, or just hype. As we wait for the first teardowns of the Verge TS Pro motorcycles and further transparency on the cell’s mass and construction we ask, do we have enough evidence yet?
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*⏱️ Episode Timeline*
00:00 – Introduction
01:35 – What we’ll cover today
02:24 – Who are Donut Battery
02:29 – The Donut Motor and Verge Motorcycles
03:47 – Donut Motors Use in other vehicles
04:46 – How did Donut Motor become a battery company?
05:11 – A quick editorial note
05:50 – Donut’s Claims
06:45 – Competitor’s Energy Density
09:37 – C rate – A very quick introduction
10:36 – Current Battery Pack C-Rates
12:17 – Donut’s battery lifespan claim
15:14 – What are the tests Donut’s released?
16:32 – The first test – fast charging
19:44 – The second test – High Temperature Performance
21:58 – Test Three – Self Discharge
24:17 – Test four – Rapid Charging a Pack
25:15 – What don’t the tests show?
28:21 – The ongoing controversy
30:34 – Conclusions
31:24 – Thanks and End Credits
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🔗 Links:
https://idonutbelieve.com/ – Donut’s battery test results
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666386425000529 – Tear down on BYD Blade and 4680 cells
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2018.07.003 – Self discharge rate on NMC cells
https://en.eeworld.com.cn/news/qcdz/eic710279.html – Toyota’s SSB Progress
https://www.electrive.com/2024/12/06/quantumscape-completes-production-process-for-solid-state-cells/ – Quantumscape Update
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/musk-admits-that-pursuing-the-dry-battery-electrode-process-in-4680-cells-was-a-mistake-260582.html- Musk’s comments regarding 4680 dry electrode debacle
https://electrek.co/2026/01/28/tesla-puts-4680-battery-cells-back-in-model-y/ – Tesla notes that the 4680 is far less significant technologically than initially signalled.
https://iestbattery.com/news/release-the-next-generation-of-blade-battery/ BYD Gen 2.0 Blade battery information
https://zenodo.org/records/18358955 – A hypothetical mechanism for the donut battery
https://www.utvdriver.com/utv-news/verge-motorcycles-electric-bikes-adopt-solid-state-batteries/ – Verge adopts solid state battery
https://www.motorcycle.com/bikes/manufacturer/2024-verge-ts-pro-electric-motorcycle-review-quick-ride-44603878 – 2024 Review Verge TS with donut motor
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*👥 Today’s Sponsors*
🌱 Electric Vehicle Association – https://www.myeva.org
⚡ EnergySage – https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-101290941-16952262
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*🎙️ Credits:*
Host: Kate Walton-Elliott
Script: Kate Walton-Elliott, Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Camera, Edit, Color: Kate Walton-Elliott & Vi Horton
Art & Animation: Erin Carlie, Kate Walton-Elliott
Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Music: via Artlist.io
© Transport Evolved LLC, 2026
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