Donut Lab, a Finnish startup, is pointing to a lab report from Intertek in the UK as evidence that its solid-state battery is something new. The report found just 3.4 parts per million of lithium in a sample of the company's cell. Donut Lab argues this means the battery is neither lithium-ion nor sodium-ion, positioning it as a potential breakthrough.
But the test itself was extremely limited. It measured only two elements, and the cell was provided by Donut Lab itself, meaning there was no independent chain of custody or verification of what was actually tested. A low lithium reading alone does not confirm the cell's chemistry, nor does it demonstrate performance, safety, or commercial viability.
Until more detailed and independently verified data are released, the claim remains unproven. The sparse lab result is a starting point for scrutiny, not a confirmation of a miracle battery.