New battery type - game changer in global economy?

[DrBeer]

It will be easier for us to assess the reality if we simply track the fulfillment of this statement by Donut Lab:

“It is reported that in the first quarter of this year, Donut Lab will release the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle powered by all-solid-state batteries. We are talking about the updated TS Pro two-wheeled vehicle.”

Let's see how this turns out—if they release it, it means the energy market is entering a new stage of evolution!

I am pretty sure that they are going to start with small tests like this to make an experiment out of this, but I can easily tell you that making this mass produced for the whole world will not happen. The thinking behind is that someone somewhere created something that trillion dollar EV world hasn't figured out yet.

So there are trillion dollars worth of companies out there who are not aware of this tech and donut lab is the one? I can guarantee you, if donut lab was right and their system worked, Tesla would have bought them long ago.

Such new technological solutions rarely become mass-market products.
They must go through many stages before reaching the mass market: testing, refinement, optimization, technological improvement, correction of identified shortcomings, obtaining numerous patents, and negotiations with mega-corporations—potential consumers who have the industrial capacity for production and the money to buy the right to licensed production. ..   

[SquallLeonhart]

As we put it this way, a lot of things or equipment need batteries and so yes, a lot will benefit from it. The technology is changing and since we will run out of lithium in the future, and so scientists are in the fast track of developing a battery that will be the new future, considering the resources that we have. So for me, this kind of development is just in time when we see some of our resources are already in the depletion stage.

And to add, hydrogen batteries are also in the horizon along with SSBs. With the technological developments, I believe, humanity will overcome the problem of resource depletion in the future as we are discovering renewable sources of energy.

As long as we can come up with it soon so that it doesn't run out, we will be fine. Tesla problem is that they are using a ton of lithium to make their cars, and while they can use all the African mines they can to get some more, there will be an end, and not like they are getting the old lithium back from the old tesla's they have and put it on new ones, so once it's used, almost all the time, that's gone out of the market.

This is why it takes time for new batteries to reach to us and the fear is the fact that we may run out of cheap lithium and we may end up needing some other way if we want cheap cars. I mean tesla is already "expensive", sure not some supercar levels of expensive, but not as cheap as gas ones, so if it gets any more expensive, it won't be good for them at all.

[DrBeer]

It will be easier for us to assess the reality if we simply track the fulfillment of this statement by Donut Lab:

“It is reported that in the first quarter of this year, Donut Lab will release the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle powered by all-solid-state batteries. We are talking about the updated TS Pro two-wheeled vehicle.”

Let's see how this turns out—if they release it, it means the energy market is entering a new stage of evolution!

I am pretty sure that they are going to start with small tests like this to make an experiment out of this, but I can easily tell you that making this mass produced for the whole world will not happen. The thinking behind is that someone somewhere created something that trillion dollar EV world hasn't figured out yet.

So there are trillion dollars worth of companies out there who are not aware of this tech and donut lab is the one? I can guarantee you, if donut lab was right and their system worked, Tesla would have bought them long ago.

Firstly, it is more profitable for mega-corporations to “kill” such a mega-competitor than to admit that, despite their billions, they have been unable to develop such technology and are selling consumers inefficient and expensive solutions.
Second, the battery technology market promises the creators of new technology, if not dominance in the economic sector, then much more profit from selling licenses for production than “disappearing” into someone else's business.

[ovcijisir]

One interesting news regarding this topic. It seems that mass produced alternatives to Lithium based batteries are becoming reality.

The world’s first mass-produced sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery for cars has entered mass production and will be sold in China in the upcoming Changan Nevo A06 EV.

The battery technology, which has been developed by CATL (arguably the world’s largest manufacturer of EV batteries), has just finished winter testing in Inner Mongolia, where temperatures regularly drop well below what most EVs are designed to handle.

According to Gizmochina, the Nevo A06 was able to charge without issue at around -30°C (-22°F) and continued operating at temperatures as low as -50°C (-58°F).

Reports state that at -40°C (-40°F), the battery retained more than 90% of its original capacity, a level of performance that is very hard to achieve with conventional lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries

Source: https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/the-worlds-first-ev-with-a-sodium-ion-battery-has-landed-and-it-beats-traditional-lithium-batteries-in-one-key-way

[DrBeer]

One interesting news regarding this topic. It seems that mass produced alternatives to Lithium based batteries are becoming reality.

The world’s first mass-produced sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery for cars has entered mass production and will be sold in China in the upcoming Changan Nevo A06 EV.

The battery technology, which has been developed by CATL (arguably the world’s largest manufacturer of EV batteries), has just finished winter testing in Inner Mongolia, where temperatures regularly drop well below what most EVs are designed to handle.

According to Gizmochina, the Nevo A06 was able to charge without issue at around -30°C (-22°F) and continued operating at temperatures as low as -50°C (-58°F).

Reports state that at -40°C (-40°F), the battery retained more than 90% of its original capacity, a level of performance that is very hard to achieve with conventional lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries

Source: https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/the-worlds-first-ev-with-a-sodium-ion-battery-has-landed-and-it-beats-traditional-lithium-batteries-in-one-key-way

Na-ion is an excellent alternative to “classic” lithium-ion batteries, due to the limited access and “political coloring” of lithium mining. There is a huge amount of sodium in the world, which demonopolizes its extraction and simplifies its use, and without any political manipulation, this is really VERY good news for the market!
The only caveat is that the form factor of the batteries manufactured will remain the same, if we are talking  in the context of the current topic.

[WillyAp]

Where I live dry cells are not suitable in our climate.
Best experience I had and have with car batteries. The can even be repaired, something not doable with lithium.

[FanEagle]

One interesting news regarding this topic. It seems that mass produced alternatives to Lithium based batteries are becoming reality.

While I respect these type of advances in technology, people do not realize the time it takes to get it mass produced and be valid option. So let's say for a moment that Tesla wants to replace all the lithium batteries from now on and next up they are going to use this new one, it would take them starting today to reach five years to be fully like that.

You think Tesla became this company over night? They were started and founded by two other guys, and it took them years to be able to build such a car and they almost bankrupted, that's when Elon took over and kicked them out and even he didn't make the car great on first few years. It took 10+ years for tesla to be even a valid known brand, let alone be big, took many more years for them to grow like this instead.

[Oluwa-btc]

The world needs it but it looks too good to be true when a battery is fast charging and yet, it's draining and life is going to last. Most of the batteries that we use can be drained quickly if ever they're also fast charging. Well, I want to see it for myself so that we would only spend one time and yet the usage is going to last a life time. I haven't seen that yet and for sure if there will be car manufacturing companies that will use that kind of battery, they'll drive sales.

The technological advancement is a good one,and the  battery's capacity is overwhelming.The technological upgrade is propelled towards faster charging and efficiency.What about the lifespan, aren't we supposed to be bothered about it,most of all,it could be required more for large scale operations..Everytime everyone talks about the newest battery type,a lot of people consider it a game changer for the global economy.

[STT]

Every new tech is a game changer in the industry, we are talking portable power after all which in this age applies to cars a very large market to address.
  The reason it gets more complex then immediate realization is the speed at which the technology can propagate and any negatives that might go along with this development, some of which are unforeseen.  

New tech now for the whole mining cycle into production and usage is probably a decade long before we can say its altered the global economy, most likely a bit longer.
   A while back I was looking at biodiesel from algae, its a very real possibility but they have yet to perfect its growth into a resilient resource to allow mass production, sadly its just laboratory genius for now.

Elon says it best.  Prototypes are easy, production is hard.

dam it,  stole my line

[DrBeer]

Where I live dry cells are not suitable in our climate.
Best experience I had and have with car batteries. The can even be repaired, something not doable with lithium.

Humid and hot climate?
This is where solid-state or inexpensive Na-ion batteries would be ideal. Of course, they cannot be repaired, but they are inexpensive to buy, have a long life cycle, and are not easily affected by external factors. So, expect batteries using new technology to hit the market. They will be a lifesaver for such regions!

[DrBeer]

The market is already welcoming a new era of batteries:
BYD has announced a major breakthrough in battery technology. The Chinese automaker has increased the capacity of its sodium-ion batteries to a level that was previously considered virtually unattainable for mass-market solutions.
According to the manufacturer, the new batteries can withstand up to 10,000 charge and discharge cycles. For comparison, traditional lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries are typically designed for 2,000–3,000 cycles. In the LFP segment, comparable durability is mainly demonstrated by specialized stationary energy storage systems.
BYD engineers are already working on the third generation of sodium-ion cells. They have managed to solve the problem of sodium deposition and increase the resistance of chemical components to prolonged heating. The batteries also retain high residual capacity and resistance to low temperatures.
At the same time, the company is developing lithium batteries with a solid-state electrolyte based on sulfides. BYD plans to start small-scale production in 2027. Such solutions should increase the range of electric vehicles, reduce weight, and improve safety.

As we can see from this announcement, solid-state batteries are of interest to everyone!

PS Interesting—will they release modification kits for other cars? In my opinion, that would be a great move and another segment of consumers who don't want to buy a new car but want a safer and more technologically advanced solution, such as hybrids or plug-in hybrids!

[ovcijisir]

Interesting news from Donut lab. They provided evidence about charging speed, but battery heated up to 90°C in the process:

The fast-charging data is real. A 26 Ah solid-state cell charging to 80% in 4.5 minutes at 11C, verified by a credible state-owned lab, is a meaningful result. That alone puts Donut Lab ahead of most solid-state developers on charging speed. But charging speed was never the claim that the battery industry called impossible.

The thermal data is also telling. Hitting a 90°C safety cutoff at 11C with a single heat sink reveals that this battery, despite Donut Lab’s marketing, will need proper thermal management at its highest charge rates.

Source: https://electrek.co/2026/02/23/donut-lab-vtt-solid-state-battery-test-results-fast-charging/

Unfortunately data for proving 400 Wh/kg energy density and proof that battery can last 100.000 cycles is still not given.

But Donut lab promised more reports in a few weeks, so we will see what they will show....

[fruktik]

These guys are so secretive with the tech behind their new battery that people are getting skeptical about them (and rightfully so).
Either they have truly cracked the code in making a game-changer solid-state battery, and don't want their possible competitors to beat them to full production, hence the secrecy, or they really have nothing to show for.

And they're right to keep this technology under wraps. First, they need to register a patent, and only then launch mass production.

Why such secrecy? And what does society need it for? This battery will be used for military purposes, as is usually the case. Most modern technologies have been declassified by concerned individuals who can't stand the arbitrary exercise of power.

[DrBeer]

Interesting news from Donut lab. They provided evidence about charging speed, but battery heated up to 90°C in the process:

The fast-charging data is real. A 26 Ah solid-state cell charging to 80% in 4.5 minutes at 11C, verified by a credible state-owned lab, is a meaningful result. That alone puts Donut Lab ahead of most solid-state developers on charging speed. But charging speed was never the claim that the battery industry called impossible.

The thermal data is also telling. Hitting a 90°C safety cutoff at 11C with a single heat sink reveals that this battery, despite Donut Lab’s marketing, will need proper thermal management at its highest charge rates.

Source: https://electrek.co/2026/02/23/donut-lab-vtt-solid-state-battery-test-results-fast-charging/

Unfortunately data for proving 400 Wh/kg energy density and proof that battery can last 100.000 cycles is still not given.

But Donut lab promised more reports in a few weeks, so we will see what they will show....

Capacity indicators can still be tested experimentally in laboratory conditions, but 100,000 cycles can only be tested theoretically using indirect indicators of a small number of charge/discharge cycles and changes in the state of the “storage device” itself. It is simply difficult to conduct a clear experiment with 100,000 real and complete charge/discharge cycles. BUT! If these indicators are close to the truth, this is very positive news!

[philipma1957]

Would be interested in these donut batteries.

Even 25000 full cycle recharges would mean 20 year life is possible.

[STT]

It might be a game changer but I dont think its discovery or invention alone that alters things, its probably multiple factors.   This battery today will take a decade before it can be observed to have made a difference or it could be longer still.
  I just think within a decade of time its going to be a dozen different technologies that add upto making things alot different.  We could have bio disel advancement within that time and it would likely propagate alot sooner if that chemistry also were working.
  Coal was a peak energy a century ago, its still relevant now to many countries. A century from now its probably still being used but lesser amounts.  Same for oil or whatever we imagine we have replaced, it will take a long time to change.

[X-ray]

Need some years before it's actually being used for all those things you mentioned to test the real durability and longevity the same way Apple and Samsung refuse to use silicon-carbon (Si/C) battery because these two giants not even sure if the battery is safe.

The need for better battery technology has been long overdue though, if EV is the future they need perfect battery that can compete with combustion engine otherwise people will see it as useless.

[philipma1957]

Need some years before it's actually being used for all those things you mentioned to test the real durability and longevity the same way Apple and Samsung refuse to use silicon-carbon (Si/C) battery because these two giants not even sure if the battery is safe.

The need for better battery technology has been long overdue though, if EV is the future they need perfect battery that can compete with combustion engine otherwise people will see it as useless.

all ev cars can not happen with out a standard drop in pack that works with every ev in the world.

it needs to be about 100 pounds and when you go for a fast fill up it can be pulled and switched out in 1-2 minutes giving you 75-120 miles depending on your evs efficiency.

now if this battery is reliable and you can do a fast swap to go 100 miles or so fine.

[fruktik]

Need some years before it's actually being used for all those things you mentioned to test the real durability and longevity the same way Apple and Samsung refuse to use silicon-carbon (Si/C) battery because these two giants not even sure if the battery is safe.

The need for better battery technology has been long overdue though, if EV is the future they need perfect battery that can compete with combustion engine otherwise people will see it as useless.

Do you think the powers that be will allow the mass adoption of such batteries? What about the profits? After all, such batteries will last a very long time. The need for replacement will be minimal. I don't think this will be allowed in the coming years. It's akin to a technological revolution, which greedy bastards can't allow. I suspect many more people will die who bring light to this world. The same thing happened with the internal combustion engine.

[savetheFORUM]

As mentioned before, I do not think that "innovation for sake of innovation" will get the world anywhere. We are not going to get anything out of this that we didn't had before and I am guaranteeing you that there are methods that we know that works but do not use because they are worse than what we have and the results are not profitable for the companies.

In fact, so much so that there could be methods that are better for the world, like cheaper for the people, and cleaner for energy and yet not used because at mass it is not profitable so nobody does it. In the end this "new battery" will not be anything as long as it is not mass produced and all those bikes and whatever small stuff that they may use it on, will not matter.