Donut Lab presented a solid-state battery at CES 2026. The company provided data to counter skepticism, including independent tests and disassembly. A nail penetration test at 12V terminal voltage showed no fire, smoke, or explosion, with minimal temperature changes.
Latest tests confirm the battery is solid-state with a gravimetric energy density of 409 Wh/kg and a volumetric energy density of 804 Wh/l. The battery uses a bipolar format, where cells are stacked within the package to allow various external voltages, a structure impossible for liquid electrolytes in a single package.
The company utilizes a printing process with nanopastes and silk screen printers, which eliminates the need for sealed vacuum chambers and toxic, flammable solvents. Donut Lab also states that its batteries do not require formation, the most expensive step in traditional battery manufacturing.
The company estimates that printed solid-state battery production costs an order of magnitude less than traditional factories. For comparison, a 1 GWh factory typically costs $1 billion. The technology uses materials that are cheaper than those in NMC batteries and are more widely available.
