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Your next electric car could be cheaper, safer and a lot lighter, especially if you’re a fan of two-wheelers.
Donut Lab, which caught my attention last year CES With her Donut-shaped hubless electric motorsclaims to be supplying the world’s first solid-state battery for a production vehicle. Donut is teaming up with Verge Motorcycles to bring the new technology to its TS Pro electric motorcycle, which is currently available to order. It also points to larger four-wheel applications just around the corner. I got my hands on the technology in Consumer Electronics Show 2026.
Solid-state batteries promise attractive advantages over lithium-ion batteries. The increased energy density enables lighter battery packs without compromising capacity, which is big when building long-range, efficient vehicles. It also lasts longer. Donut claims over 100,000 charge cycles for its cells, so there should be less worry about reduced range or replacing expensive batteries over the life of the vehicle.
Solid-state technology is more thermally stable than lithium-ion as well, making batteries less susceptible to thermal runaway when misused or damaged. This stability also creates the neat side effect of faster charging speeds without fear of damaging the packaging.
Verge’s TS Pro electric motorcycle is equipped with a solid-state battery.
I was able to get my hands on a mockup of Donut Labs’ solid-state cell on the floor at CES 2026. The cells are roughly the size of a large smartphone (like iPhone 17 Pro Max) and incredibly light. The featherweight cells make them ready for use in drones, Donat tells me.
The current application combines the cells into larger 5-kilowatt-hour power modules, each about the size of a gaming console. Four of these units are then loaded into a Verge TS Pro chassis, where the motor normally lives on other bikes. This design feat is made possible by the Donut hubless electric motor built into the rear wheel.
Cherry on top? Donut and Verge Motorcycles say the new solid-state battery costs less to manufacture and implement than lithium-ion batteries. A representative for the electric motorcycle manufacturer told me that the TS Pro is actually manufactured using solid-state technology and is currently available for order starting at $29,900. The electric motorcycle is said to cruise up to 217 miles (depending on configuration) and is charged at up to 200 kilowatts, charging in less than 35 minutes.
The 5-kilowatt solid-state package is roughly the size of a PlayStation. Four of them are used in electric motorcycle.
Solid-state battery technology making its way onto the road is huge, even if motorcycles aren’t your thing. The advantages of the battery are most evident in larger cars, where weight savings and charging speeds should be increased. Donut Lab also announced that it is also collaborating with Watt Electric Vehicles to use its in-wheel motors and inverter technology in a future platform for lightweight electric vehicles. So far, we’ve only seen the “skateboard” underpinnings of the electric car, but I expect to see more of the fruits of this partnership at CES 2026 this week.