Image Credit: Donut Lab.
I grew up believing that if you heat something up enough, it'll either cook your dinner or burn your house down. With electric car batteries, it's usually the latter when things go south. But the Finns at Donut Lab (a bunch of absolute madmen) claim to have invented a battery that actually thrives in the heat, defying the very laws of common sense in the process. And yet - here we are.
The clever clogs over at the Donut Labs hired the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and have just dropped a second report, and it's enough to make a skeptic like me drop my morning coffee. They took the "Donut Solid State Battery V1" and shoved it into an oven. A standard lithium-ion battery would have turned into a very expensive Roman candle at these temperatures, but this Finnish wonder-cell just rolled its sleeves up and asked for more.
Image Credit: Donut Lab.
At a baseline temperature of 68°F, the cell - rated at 26 Ah - delivered about 24.9 Ah. Fairly standard stuff, really. But then they cranked the thermostat to a blistering 176°F. Most batteries would be sweating electrolyte and contemplating retirement at this point. Instead, this little trooper delivered 27.5 Ah. That's 110.5% of its room-temperature capacity. It literally grew stronger because it was hot. That's like a Scotsman becoming more articulate after his fourth pint of heavy - never happens.
They didn't stop there, though. Oh no. They pushed it to 212°F - the boiling point of water. At this heat, the cell still managed 27.6 Ah. There was a slight hiccup: the pouch lost its vacuum as it got a bit gassy and bloated. It still worked and charged perfectly fine afterward, but it does suggest that while the "guts" of the battery are invincible, the "skin" might need a bit of work.
Image Credit: Donut Lab.
I know you lot love a bit of data so let's talk numbers. This specific cell boasts 94 Wh of energy at 3.6 V. Donut Lab claims a shocking energy density of 400 Wh/kg. For that to be true, this battery would need to weigh no more than 0.52 lbs. VTT hasn't weighed it yet - probably because they were too busy trying to melt it - so we're still taking that particular claim with a healthy pinch of sea salt. If it's true, it's revolutionary. If it's not, well, it's still a very impressive space heater. But at this size, it would have to be made out of lead to weigh more - just saying.
The most curious claim is the 100,000-cycle life. The best batteries on the market right now manage maybe 5,000 cycles before they give up the ghost. Claiming 100,000 cycles is like claiming your pet hamster is going to outlive the monarchy. It's biologically (or in this case, chemically) insane. Independent testing for that would take years, so we'll just have to wait and see if Donut Lab is telling the truth or if they've just been hitting the fermented reindeer milk a bit too hard.
Image Credit: Donut Lab.
Donut Lab also promises the new battery works perfectly well at -22°F. We haven't seen the "Frozen Tundra" test results yet, but given the Finns are releasing reports every week like clockwork, I expect that's next on the menu. They're calling this the "I Donut Believe" campaign - very self-aware, enough to be charming. They know we think they're barking mad, and they're systematically trying to prove they aren't. Cheeky, and I absolutely love it.
What's truly wild is the price. Donut Labs claims these will cost less than current lithium-ion batteries because they use "green and abundant materials." Too often, the "green and abundant" is code for "expensive and doesn't work," but if they've actually cracked the code, the big boys like Toyota and Samsung are going to have very sweaty palms. Those giants aren't even planning production until 2027, yet Donut Lab's CEO, Marko Lehtimäki, wants these in Verge Motorcycles by the end of this month!
Image Credit: Donut Lab.
Are we on the verge of a transport miracle, or is this the most elaborate prank in engineering history? I'm still clutching my skepticism like a shield, but I have to admit, the evidence is mounting. A battery that charges 0-80% in 4.5 minutes and enjoys a 212°F sauna session? Mic drop. Fingers, toes and my eyes crossed that the next test proves the energy density. If it does, the internal combustion engine is toast. Ancient history. And... I'm not sure I'm all that happy about it.
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