This new solid-state EV battery can be fully charged in just 5 minutes
We stopped by the exhibit of Donut Lab, a Finnish startup specializing in electric mobility. The company (which takes its name from its flagship product, the donut-shaped in-wheel EV motor) announced at CES the launch of what it calls the first solid-state battery for vehicle production.
Solid-state batteries differ from lithium-ion batteries (used in most EVs) in that they use a solid electrolyte rather than a liquid electrolyte. They offer much higher energy density (more bang for the buck, so to speak), better safety, and are thought to degrade less than lithium-ion batteries. On top of that, Donut says it can fully charge the battery in just 5 minutes.
Charging times obviously vary by vehicle and model, but 5 minutes is pretty quick. Donut claims that the long-range version of the battery will allow riders to travel up to 600 kilometers on a single charge. The company also says its batteries eliminate many causes of battery fires because SSB is stable under extreme temperatures and contains no flammable liquids. As a result, it is thought to perform better in cold environments (cold weather is known to reduce the range of many EVs).
Donut is a subsidiary of Verge Motorcycles. Marko Lehtimaki, co-founder and former CTO of Verge Motorcycle, is co-founder and CEO of Donut Lab. Lehtimaki is not new to the startup field. He founded a number of companies, including AppGyver, a no-code software startup that was acquired by SAP in 2021.
Donut’s new SSB will be introduced to Verge motorcycles early this year, the companies announced this week. This battery will be included in Verge’s Verge TS Pro and Verge TS Ultra. At the show, the company showed off a number of other partner vehicles that will soon include batteries.
