VTT Test Donut Lab Battery Reaches 80% Charge in Under 10 Minutes [pdf]

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Verified Test Results (What VTT Actually Confirmed)

  • Cell under test: 26 Ah, ~94 Wh, 3.6 V nominal, 2.7–4.15 V recommended range (4.3 V max).
  • Fast charging performance:
    • 5C (130 A): 0–80% in ~9.5 min, 0–100% in ~13.5 min.
    • 11C (286 A): 0–80% in ~4.9 min, 0–100% in ~7.3 min.
  • Charge/discharge: delivered 98.4–99.6% of the charged capacity by Ah even after 11C, but only ~90% round‑trip energy efficiency by Wh.
  • Thermal behavior with heatsinks:
    • Two-sided cooling: ~47°C at 5C, ~63°C at 11C.
    • One-sided: up to ~61.5°C at 5C and ~89°C at 11C (still functional but near limits).

What’s Missing / Open Questions

  • No weight or volume → no independent energy density figure.
  • Only 7 cycles run → no evidence on cycle life or 100k‑cycle claims.
  • No data on cost, materials, “non-hazardous” or “non-geopolitical” claims.
  • No abuse tests (nail, crush, short, overcharge) or extreme temperature performance.
  • No data on self‑discharge or long-term charged storage.

Status and Role of VTT

  • PDF is digitally signed; multiple commenters trace it to an official VTT contact and a VTT press release, and assume the report itself is genuine.
  • VTT is described as a government-owned, non-profit test lab that runs whatever tests the client specifies; it is not an independent auditor of all product claims.
  • Critical nuance: VTT states it tested “devices supplied by the customer, which the customer identified as solid-state battery cells” – it did not verify chemistry or composition.
  • Commenters note VTT did not record cell weight/dimensions and cannot guarantee that identical cells are used across different test campaigns.

Hype, Red Flags, and Scam Debate

  • Many are excited that performance is at least comparable to good Li‑ion and that fast charging with relatively simple cooling is independently measured.
  • Others argue these C‑rates are achievable with existing chemistries (e.g. FPV LiPos, BYD’s fast‑charging LFP), so the test doesn’t prove a breakthrough.
  • Significant skepticism around the company’s broader behavior: drip‑marketing of partial results, founder’s previous “magic AI/ASI” and trading products, a related motorcycle company with troubling audit findings, and rumors of loosely regulated fundraising in Finland.
  • Some call it an obvious scam; others push back, noting failed or hype-driven startups aren’t automatically fraudulent and demanding concrete evidence of harmed investors/customers.

Vehicles and Commercialization Timeline

  • Existing Verge motorcycles reportedly use conventional ~20 kWh Li‑ion packs; no bikes with the claimed solid-state pack are in customers’ hands yet.
  • Solid-state-equipped models are promised for 2026; early “available today” messaging contrasted with later statements about first deliveries months later, which commenters see as a key timeline to watch.

Broader Context and Outlook

  • Commenters stress that many major players already have working solid-state prototypes; the real challenge is scalable, cheap production with good density, cycle life, and safety.
  • Several plan to reserve judgment until independent groups, not arranged by the company, can acquire cells and run full characterization (energy density, cycle life, abuse testing) end-to-end.