j5oyVNjrUPIA host of questions have arisen in recent days about what this EV motorcycle battery actually is.Donut Lab and Verge Motorcycles have been in the headlines in recent months for a variety of reasons. But most importantly, because the two debuted what they call the "world's first solid-state battery that is ready for use in OEM vehicle manufacturing." That, if you've been following the world of electric vehicle technology over the last few years, would be huge news, as it would promise to upend two decades' worth of EV manufacturing. Solid-state batteries are basically the industry's holy grail, in that they (theoretically) promise to be lighter, cheaper, store more power, be able to charge faster, and have longer lives. And big names within the industry, i.e., Honda, Toyota, Kawasaki, General Motors, Panasonic, Ford, and about a hundred others have put billions into their own research and development of solid-state battery technology. None, however, has succeeded in bringing anything close to feasible. And none have ever brought anything to market. And that context is why many have looked at Donut and Verge's announcement with quite a lot of skepticism, as a small startup somehow figured out how to build an "OEM" grade solid-state battery, as well as put it into production before anyone else.AdvertisementAdvertisementThat'd be huge. Almost immediately, however, questions began to arise from both the industry and beyond about whether or not it was real. Then came a whistleblower complaint that accused the company of misstating facts, using non-independent "third-party" testing, and more. Most recently, YouTuber and scientist, Dr. Ryan Hughes, called out Donut Lab and Verge and debunked many of the companies' claims, including that the solid-state battery they're carting around is basically a lithium battery in disguise.Startups On StartupsWant to Try an EV Superbike On Track? Now's Your ChanceHarley's LiveWire Just Bought This EV Dirt Bike Startup, And That Might Save ItAccording to Donut Lab's original press release about the new solid-state battery, "Donut Lab's all-solid-state battery delivers 400 Wh/kg of energy density, enabling longer range, lighter structures, and unprecedented flexibility in vehicle and product design. It can be charged to full in just five minutes without limiting charging to 80%, and supports full discharge safely, repeatedly, and reliably."AdvertisementAdvertisementIt added, "Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, the Donut Battery experiences minimal capacity fade over its lifetime, with a design life of up to 100,000 cycles, offering practical longevity that far exceeds existing technologies. Safety is built in at the core: no flammable liquid electrolytes, no thermal runaway chains, and no metallic dendrites. This eliminates the root causes of battery fires, making the Donut Battery extremely safe and truly revolutionary."Since then, however, Donut Lab worked in conjunction with VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland to "independently' test one of the brand's cells to showcase the technology they've achieved. The "cell" denotation is intentional, as Donut did not deliver a full battery for the tests. This brings us to Dr. Hughes, who works under the pseudonym Ziroth on YouTube, and his video on Donut Lab and its solid-state battery claims. "I've spoken to over 20 independent battery experts about the test data Donut Lab has released as part of their series trying to prove that the battery is real," states Ziroth's video examining Donut Lab's claims, its relationship with battery manufacturing company Nordic Nano—which RideApart has covered in the past—and the public spat it's been having with former employees and whistleblowers, adding, "Without failure, every single one of them confirms that this is a lithium-ion battery cell." That's a major accusation, as a regular lithium-ion battery cell is not what Donut or Verge have been marketing, nor what Verge Motorcycle's has been purportedly selling to would-be customers. The video goes on to show a raft of evidence that contradicts Donut Lab's test data, especially targeting the voltage of the battery and the cell's expansion curve, which our siblings over at InsideEVs highlight really well. However, it highlights many of the same issues that many other outlets and labs have raised with Donut's statements and the data it has provided since the battery's debut.AdvertisementAdvertisementDonut Lab has seen the video and issued the following statement.A video published by YouTuber Ziroth concerning the Donut Battery has recently circulated in international media. The video and the related media coverage give the impression that the announcement brought something new to light. However, the material simply compiles previous claims that we have already addressed. It is worth noting that this content creator is publicly engaged in a commercial partnership with our Chinese competitor, the battery technology company CATL.We stand fully behind the technical data and commitments we have provided, taking them with the utmost seriousness. The trust of our partners, investors, and customers is of paramount importance to us. We are progressing on schedule with Donut Battery technology.The video also references claims made by Lauri Peltola, a former employee of Nordic Nano Group. Peltola has not been a member of the workgroup developing Donut Lab's battery technology. Consequently, he has no access to, nor does he possess, up-to-date information regarding the technical details or the overall scope of our development work. Nordic Nano Group has taken the necessary legal action and has filed a formal police report regarding Peltola's activities.That statement doesn't exactly answer Ziroth's questions, nor other pieces of the YouTuber's investigation, nor many of the questions that have arisen from other outlets and groups. It does, however, attack Ziroth's credibility, highlighting a supposed partnership with CATL, the Chinese battery giant—there's a single line on Ziroth's website that states We work with the best. Some of the incredible companies we have partnered with: BMW, CATL, 3M, AMD"—though it's unclear if Zirtoh is mentioning CATL through work as a content creator on YouTube, as a paid ambassador, or through some other paid opportunity. Ziroth's video calls into question many of the things Donut has attempted to counter with its supposed third-party testing, but still remain. Likewise, though Verge Motorcycles announced that customers would be able to order a solid-state battery with the brand's TS Pro EV motorcycle a month ago as of this writing, it's still not an available option when you configure yours online. That's despite Verge saying they'd be rolling to customers in the upcoming months since the launch. At the end, we have more questions than answers, a legal battle that's still going on, and a solid-state-powered motorcycle that's apparently in limbo.