That's how its done now thanks to assholes like this.

It's worked for their channel so far.

Reading the article, the investigation isn't a case of independent labs getting hold of the battery and definitively disproving Donut's claims. It's battery experts and researchers looking at the data Donut has released and saying, "these claims are extraordinary and the evidence doesn't yet convince us. Here's what we think the battery actually is." That's a very reasonable scientific position, especially when you're talking about 400 Wh/kg, 5-minute charging, and 100,000 cycles all at once.

But without independently tested samples, there are still a lot of unknowns and inferences involved. That's not to say the skeptics are wrong, but it's still arguably a case of skeptics being skeptical... reasonably so, but based on analysis of the available evidence rather than direct examination of the battery itself.

I mean these days with all the hyped up scams all over social media including Lemmy… yeah?

That wouldn't be unprecedented behavior in the battery industry. The mark ups on batteries can be huge and if they fail, unless the battery explodes, most people will just buy a new one. It's difficult for one customer to see the difference between a defective battery and a battery that failed sooner than expected. It is the kind of industry that attracts con artists.

Investors are stupid enough if only everyone else didn't tell them to be so dumb about this

No one thinks they'll get caught.

The running theory I had seen was that they were licensing out someone else's tech, and then claiming it as their own.

And now this article shows that to be more true than I had thought.

Meanwhile, there's a company out of Taiwan doing this, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQFVIs4leig

The guy cuts a cell in half with a pair of scissors, and as soon as the scissors are pulled away the little LED light comes back on.

I would be disappointed, but random news about sodium ion batteries keeps popping up and making me think it's not so bad after all.

The there was that one article that was way too sensational to be anywhere near adoption, though it was pretty neat.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260603023917.htm#google_vignette

Researchers have discovered how microscopic imperfections and atomic vibrations can be used to control a powerful quantum effect in an advanced material. The effect can turn alternating electrical signals from the environment directly into the kind of current electronic devices need, without traditional components. As temperature changes, the signal can even flip direction, giving scientists a new way to tune device performance. (though there were little to no details about how much power was/could be generated at all and seemed based way more in theory than practical application)

What no nanobots? What sort of product is this.

Fueled by FSD SpaceX xAI. /$

I bet someone from HN is already "generating" that brilliant idea thanks to their SOTA meta-harness right now using Claude Fable. Or something.

take my money, fellow human! :)

The problem is there are multiple tech companies involved, all bullshitting each other. It starts with a German screening technology company claiming they can screen produce the solid state electrode, when they never made a single battery ever. if company A can develop the tech then company B can assemble the battery to do into the motorcycles in company C.

Formula E racing uses the state of the art in batteries, and for 2027 they sourced a lithium battery even though cost was no object.

Two Chinese companies claim to be making solid state batteries, put the performance is only equal to classic lithium.

Toyota got burned on this. They were promised SS batteries delivered by 2025. Never happened.

Critical thinking is a dying concept. Most of humanity has no concept of reality any more. There area few points of hope in the younger generation but it's not looking promising from where I'm sitting.

TBF, Something in the vague range of the battery they've been promising is actively in development in a bunch of skunkworks, but it's still a long way off if it ever comes to fruition. If they did manage to make a sodium ion battery, it would have been a huge deal.

But they didn't, and when it does happen, it won't need to be used to sell motorcycles.

Well, the original Li-Ion batteries by John Goodenough are Goodenough

We just need a Dr. John BetterBatteryMan for solid battery tech

They didn't need to keep it secret forever, just long enough to grab more money.

If they are really a fraud, how did they think they wouldn’t get caught??

That's how Ponzi schemes work. See this thing?

Under $50,000! All carbon fiber! Solar powered! 1,600 km range!

This thing has been vaporware since 2009, company started 20 YEARS AGO -4,000 suckers signed up.

It went chapter 11 in 2011.

Bought by a Chinese company, " company stated it would manufacture 5000 vehicles by the end of 2012".

total to date: 0.

On December 8, 2020, the company presented a driveable prototype and started accepting reservations. By December 14 the company had over 3000 refundable preorders for $100 each. Aptera released its 2021 annual report in May 2022, stating they had 103 employees and over 18,000 reservations for their solar electric vehicle. By mid 2022, the company raised a total of $40 million, planning to get to production by the end of the year.They acquired three buildings in Carlsbad, California, with a combined space of over 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2). In November 2022 Aptera announced they have redesigned the structural components of the vehicle, and it requires more funding before they can get to production.

total to date: 0.

Aptera announced in April 2025 the company raised a total of $130 million through crowdfunding and $10 million from other investors, and the company requires an additional $60 million before it can start low-volume production.

total to date: 0.

Aptera announced in March 2026 it has raised a further $17M, and plans starting low-scale production no earlier than March 2027 pending raising a further $50 million.

It just goes on and on and no one is questioning the utter bullshit claims of range and solar charging and the lack of a single vehicle in 20 years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aptera_Motors

But when Elizabeth Holmes did this...straight to jail.

Now in 2026, there are serious safety concerns about vehicles that look like cars but are actually motorcycles. There is a Federal bill to ban these on the table.

Fake it til you make it

If you find out about something through YouTube ad, that’s all the proof you need that it’s a scam

If they need to advertise to promote their product, its trash

There are several companies making great leaps right now. It is still far from commercially viable yet.

Which is why it seemed so far fetched for Donut to claim they had this battery without anyone knowing they were working on it. It was immediately suspicious.

Just this company that didn't deliver. There's still a lot of other companies doing research for solid state battery

That's the electricity in action.

I'm surprised like the people who Trump fucked over when they voted for him for the second time

Not by this thing, you're not.

Edit : Great day to discover !dungeoncrawlercarl@lemmy.ca exists!

New achievement. You've been mentioned on a comment on Lemmy.

Benoit Blanc knew!!

Ai slop