Solid-state batteries have been ‘just around the corner’ for seemingly yonks, but a new Donut Lab video claims that milestone has finally been reached with Verge Motorcycles set to put an all solid-state pack into customer bikes from Q1, 2026.
Coinciding with CES 2026, the headline act is Donut Lab’s ‘Donut Battery’ offering a staggering 400Wh/kg energy density, achieving a full charge in as little as five minutes, without the usual 80 per cent fast-charge caveat.
The company is also claiming extreme-cycle longevity (up to 100,000 cycles), and high thermal resilience, with no liquid electrolyte to drive thermal runaway chains (fires).
Verge will be the first test bed. Its TS Pro and TS Ultra models are being positioned as production vehicles carrying the new battery tech, paired with Verge’s hubless Donut Motor layout and 200kW-class fast-charging hardware.
This has direct relevance to the automotive realm too. Donut Lab is showing an aluminium skateboard EV platform with integrated motors, inverters, software, and battery via partner WATT EV, and it’s already applying its in-wheel tech to smart trailers aimed at reducing diesel consumption and improving stability.
Another customer of Donut’s in-wheel e-motor is Longbow sports cars. Considering the website claims a sub one-tonne kerb weight, this battery tech could be just what it needs to transition from vapourware to the first genuinely lightweight EV sports car.
Claims from the company that this could make the internal combustion engine obsolete are audacious, but to the average end-user who cites charging and safety as ownership barriers, they may be right. Check out the video below for more.
