Verge Motorcycles switches to in-house solid-state batteries
Initially founded as a technology startup in Finland, Donut Lab has since become fully owned by Verge Motorcycles. The parent company is also Donut Lab’s main customer, using, for example, the striking wheel hub motor called Donut Motor 2.0 in its TS Pro model. However, Donut Lab also operates independently and supplies other clients. For instance, in late November, it introduced DonutOS, a software suite for electric vehicle development.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which begins on 6 January 2026, Donut Lab will unveil its own solid-state battery, boasting an energy density of 400 Wh/kg. In its announcement, the company boldly claims this is the ‘world’s first all-solid-state battery ready to power up production vehicles.’
While the Finns highlight several features of their new battery technology, they omit critical details. The battery is said to enable ‘longer range, lighter structures, and unprecedented flexibility in vehicle and product design.’ The advertised charging time of five minutes refers to a full charge, not the usual 80% state of charge. Additionally, the battery is claimed to achieve an almost unbelievable lifespan of 100,000 charge cycles with only minimal capacity loss over its entire life.
The battery’s performance is also said to remain largely unaffected by extreme temperatures: “At –30°C, the battery retains over 99% of its capacity, and when heated to temperatures exceeding 100°C, it continues to retain over 99% capacity with no signs of ignition or degradation,” the announcement states.
However, the company does not specify the materials used in the new solid-state cell. It states that the battery is ‘abundant, affordable, and geopolitically safe materials, does not rely on rare or sensitive elements, and demonstrates a lower cost than lithium-ion.’ Verge Motorcycles has also refrained from providing further details in its own announcement.
More precise details are available for the production model: the TS Pro, introduced in November (featuring the aforementioned wheel hub motor), offers a range of 350 kilometres. Here, a ten-minute charge can provide up to 300 kilometres of range—not quite the five minutes for a full charge as announced by Donut Lab, but still an impressive figure for electric motorcycles. An optional battery pack with ‘extended range’ will also be available, enabling up to 595 kilometres. This version incorporates 33.3 kWh, while the standard battery has 20.2 kWh. As the new battery is expected to be even more affordable than conventional lithium-ion batteries, the price of the TS Pro will not increase.
Solid-state batteries have been under development for years due to their theoretical advantages, including for use in electric cars. In China, the first vehicles equipped with solid-state cells are already on the road, though the definition is somewhat ambiguous: some use so-called semi-solid-state cells, which employ a gel-like, semi-solid electrolyte. However, Donut Lab’s statements suggest a true all-solid-state battery.
“When we first introduced the Donut Motor last year at CES, many didn’t believe it was possible until they saw the technology working out on the road and setting world records for performance. Now, with our all-solid-state Donut Battery, Donut Lab is doing the same. Donut Lab waited to announce our solid state battery breakthrough until the technology was fully tested, validated, and already operating in vehicles. As of today, these batteries are real, in production vehicles, and represent the future of electric mobility,” explained Donut Lab CEO Marko Lehtimäki.
donutlab.com, vergemotorcycles.com, linkedin.com, linkedin.com
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