Solid-state EV battery achieves five-minute charging

A Finnish company has announced the world’s first production-ready solid-state battery for electric vehicles (EVs), capable of charging to full capacity in just five minutes.

Donut Lab revealed its solid-state battery technology at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, with the units already powering Verge Motorcycles’ TS Pro and Ultra models on public roads.

“While the advantages are obvious, the future of solid state batteries has been a moving target constantly delayed when companies working in electrification are asked about when they will become a reality,” says Donut Lab chief executive Marko Lehtimäki.

“Our answer on solid-state batteries being ready for use in OEM production vehicles is now, today, not later.”

The battery delivers 400 Wh/kg of energy density and can charge to full capacity in five minutes without limiting charging to 80 percent, according to the company. It also supports full discharge safely and repeatedly.

Extreme durability and safety claims

Donut Lab says its solid-state battery has been tested to 100,000 cycles with minimal capacity fade over its lifetime. The unit retains over 99 percent of its capacity at temperatures ranging from -30°C to over 100°C, with no signs of ignition or degradation at the higher end.

Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, the solid-state design eliminates flammable liquid electrolytes and prevents thermal runaway chains, addressing key safety concerns that have plagued traditional EV batteries.

The company says the battery is made entirely from “abundant, affordable and geopolitically safe materials” and demonstrates lower costs than lithium-ion alternatives, though specific pricing details were not disclosed.

First deployment in motorcycles

Verge Motorcycles is using Donut Lab’s solid-state batteries in its current lineup, making it the world’s first production vehicle manufacturer to deploy the technology. The electric motorcycles can charge in less than 10 minutes, delivering up to 60 kilometres of combined range per minute of charging.

The long-range version offers 600 kilometres on a single charge, according to the companies. Verge Motorcycles equipped with the new battery technology are available for order, with first deliveries scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.

Donut Lab says the battery can be custom designed to fit any size or shape, enabling structural integration and non-traditional formats. The technology can serve as a vehicle chassis or the body of a drone, providing unprecedented design freedom for manufacturers.

The company is also working with partners including WATT Electric Vehicles, Cova Power Smart Trailer, and ESOX Group on various applications ranging from modular EV platforms to defence-grade systems.

Lehtimäki says Donut Lab waited to announce the solid-state breakthrough until the technology was fully tested and validated in real-world conditions.

“Donut Lab has engineered a new high performance solid state Donut Battery that can be scaled to major production volumes and seen now in real world use in the Verge Motorcycles bikes out on the road,” he says.

The development represents a significant milestone in battery technology, with solid-state batteries long promised but rarely delivered in production vehicles due to manufacturing challenges and cost constraints.