This is the first solid-state battery electric vehicle you’ll be able to buy in America

The long-promised “Holy Grail” of battery technology with blistering charging speeds and long range is hitting American roads this year.

• The world’s first solid-state battery for a production motorcycle will be available in the US this year, Verge Motorcycles claims.

• Developed by Finland-based Donut Lab, the battery packs 400 watt-hours per kilogram of energy density.

• Donut says it can charge in just five minutes and isn’t prone to fires.

The first US vehicle you can actually buy with a full battery isn’t a long-promised electric vehicle from a legacy automaker. Apparently, it is a high-end electric motorcycle from Europe.

Estonia-based Verge Motorcycles said on Friday that its TS Pro electric superbike is the world’s first to go into production with solid-state batteries. And no, it’s not coming until the end of the decade or some timeline in the future. Deliveries to US customers will begin in the first quarter of this year.

The bike itself looks like it’s straight out of the sci-fi movie ‘Tron’. Its most striking feature is a hubless rear wheel, with the motor integrated directly into the rim, leaving an open hole where you’d normally expect spokes and brakes.

Now Donut Lab, the Finnish startup that released that rear hubless motor years ago, claims to have achieved something far more ambitious: bringing a solid-state battery into real production.

Automakers and battery companies have been working for years to bring this Holy Grail battery technology to life. Now, Donut Lab claims to have beaten Toyota, QuantumScape and others to the punch by developing the first solid-state production battery that’s ready for manufacturer use.

The batteries have an energy density of 400 watt-hours per kilogram, enough to provide up to 370 miles (600 kilometers) of range on the Verge superbike. This is substantially higher than the 200-300 Wh/kg energy density found on typical lithium-ion batteries today.

The current version of the TS Pro is already on sale with lithium-ion batteries. The new versions will feature solid-state packages, reducing weight and improving charging performance.

“The future of solid-state batteries has been a moving target, constantly delayed when companies working in electrification are asked when they will become a reality,” Donut Lab CEO Marko Lehtimäki said in a press release. “Donut Lab has designed a new high-performance solid-state Donut battery that can be scaled to major production volumes and can now be seen in real-world use in Verge Motorcycles road bikes in Q1.”

Traditional lithium-ion batteries use a liquid electrolyte to facilitate the movement of ions during charge and discharge cycles. Solid-state batteries replace the liquid electrolyte with a solid material consisting of polymers, sulfides, or oxides. Automakers and battery experts say this material can address range and charging anxiety while substantially improving extreme weather performance, safety and lifespan.

Two versions of the TS Pro will be available at launch, one with a standard battery and one with a large battery. The standard battery model has a capacity of 20.2 kilowatt-hours, providing approximately 217 miles of manufacturer-estimated range. The large battery costs about $5,000 more and offers a range of 370 miles. Both seem extremely powerful, with 737 pound-feet of torque and a 0-60 mph time of just 3.5 seconds.

However, the key features of these batteries have extended beyond the range they provide. Donut claims the battery can be fully charged in just five minutes, roughly equaling the time it takes to power a gasoline-powered vehicle. Verge Motorcycles’ claim differs slightly, saying the TS Pro can fast-charge to 200kW and fully charge in less than 10 minutes. The bike also comes with a Tesla-style NACS charging port.

What’s more, Donut claims its battery can retain capacity for up to 100,000 cycles, which far exceeds current cycle limits for lithium-ion batteries. And because the cells don’t use a flammable liquid electrolyte, the company says they’re not susceptible to thermal evaporation or metal dendrites, the tiny internal spikes that can damage cells and trigger malfunctions. In other words, the common causes of battery fires are designed outside the system, at least in theory.

However, all this range, power, safety and charging performance don’t come cheap. The base TS Pro starts at $29,900 in the US, while the large battery version costs $34,900, excluding destination charges and other taxes.

It’s potentially a huge step forward for solid-state battery technology, even if for now it’s only available on two wheels, wrapped in carbon fiber, and priced accordingly.

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