100,000-Cycle 'Revolutionary' Solid-State Battery Turns Out to Be a Hoax

A major controversy has erupted around Finland's Donut Lab startup. It turned out that the product of the company, which previously announced the creation of a revolutionary solid-state battery, was actually a conventional lithium-ion battery. The fraud was exposed by Ryan Inis Hughes, author of the Ziroth YouTube channel. Ixbt.com reports .

During the investigation, more than 20 independent experts in the field of battery technologies were involved, including experts from prestigious universities and scientific centers. Donut Lab had attracted widespread attention by claiming to have started mass production of batteries with an energy density of 400 Wh/kg, capable of charging in 5 minutes and lasting 100,000 cycles, at the CES 2026 exhibition.

Following these sensational statements, the startup's market value was estimated at $1.25 billion, and it attracted $25 million in investment from over 1,300 private investors. However, former partners and operational directors of the company openly stated that the characteristics presented at the CES 2026 exhibition did not match reality.

Laboratory tests further complicated the situation. According to experts, the studied sample exhibited the characteristics of a conventional high-nickel lithium-ion cell. Voltage curves and physical changes during the charging process indicate exactly this. The actual energy density was found to be only 298 Wh/kg instead of the promised 400 Wh/kg.

Currently, financial and law enforcement agencies in Finland have launched an investigation into the activities of Donut Lab. The startup's management is accused of misleading investors and falsifying technological indicators.