{"id":1888690,"date":"2026-04-17T14:21:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T11:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1888690"},"modified":"2026-04-17T14:21:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T11:21:34","slug":"donut-labs-battery-claims-reportedly-subject-of-whistleblower-complaint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1888690","title":{"rendered":"Donut Lab&#8217;s battery claims reportedly subject of whistleblower complaint"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/012AD41F1C3C06E1209282856C5F012A373435ED59BC7A5FB20D6C892B96EB17\/subgraphmysterio\/resizefit_w1200;quality_90;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2F2026-04%2Fdb3e38a0-2f3b-11f1-bf3a-b8c138db88b9&#8243;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"article-714140a6-4064-44e0-9e40-50fd4c2c4ac0\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"mx-auto md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px]\">\n<nav class=\"prestige-breadcrumb relative mx-4 md:mx-0\" aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<ol class=\"no-scrollbar overflow-scroll whitespace-nowrap text-battleship\">\n<li class=\"inline\">\n<li class=\"inline-block cursor-default last:pr-10 md:last:pr-20 font-bold\">Transportation<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<header class=\"mb-4 px-4 md:mb-6 md:px-0\">\n<h1 class=\"layout-h1 my-2 font-bold leading-tight\">Donut Lab&#8217;s battery claims reportedly subject of whistleblower complaint<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"my-2 text-[18px] font-light leading-5 md:max-w-[660px] md:text-[20px]\/[28px]\">The CCO of partner Nordic Nano has spoken to authorities, according to Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat.<\/h2>\n<div class=\"flex-col items-start lg:flex lg:flex-row lg:items-center lg:justify-between mt-6\">\n<div class=\"relative md:mr-[10px]\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex mr-2\">\n<div class=\"shrink-0 cursor-pointer inline-block size-[42px] lg:size-[48px]\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt role=\"img\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full rounded-full object-cover object-center shadow-[0_0_0_2px_#ffffff]\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/dNvrmUTSbIIGU53EyyUmxA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2023-11\/53c59e20-823d-11ee-9f7e-ac80727f4dd2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"inline-block\">\n<div class=\"w-max text-sm\/5 font-semibold lg:!flex flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col\">\n<div class=\"flex w-max items-center\">Daniel Cooper<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"font-normal sm:before:inline-block\">Senior Editor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"lg:hidden\">\n<div class=\"text-xs text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-sm\/5 pt-4\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-17T14:21:34.000Z\">Fri, April 17, 2026 at 2:21 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ml-0 mt-4 flex items-center lg:ml-3 lg:mt-0\">\n<div class=\"ml-0 mr-2\">\n<div class=\"relative flex\">Add Engadget on Google<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden lg:block\">\n<div class=\"text-xs text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-sm\/5 pt-4\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-17T14:21:34.000Z\">Fri, April 17, 2026 at 2:21 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-x-8 lg:gap-x-0 mx-auto md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px] md:grid-cols-[[main-start]_1fr_[main-end_right-start]_min-content_[right-end]] lg:!gap-x-8\">\n<div class=\"md:col-main\" data-i13n-boundary=\"true\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-[[fullbleed-start_body-start]_minmax(auto,750px)_[body-end_fullbleed-end]]\">\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative overflow-hidden fig-image-round left-1\/2 w-screen -translate-x-1\/2 md:left-0 md:w-auto md:translate-x-0\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt class=\"object-cover object-center\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/dBNW7g4cexQPS6gK8kbKkw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/db3e38a0-2f3b-11f1-bf3a-b8c138db88b9\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span>Donut Lab<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px] drop-cap\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Startup Donut Lab made a splash at the start of the year with some astonishing \u2014 <ins>and suspicious<\/ins> \u2014 claims about its solid state batteries. Now Finnish newspaper <em><ins>Helsingin Sanomat<\/ins><\/em> reports an individual has filed a criminal whistleblower complaint against the company over those claims.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\"><ins>Until recently<\/ins>, Lauri Peltola was listed as the Chief Commercial Officer at Nordic Nano \u2014 the firm reportedly contracted to handle portions of the manufacturing on Donut&#8217;s behalf, and which Donut Lab has <ins>invested in<\/ins>. He reportedly filed a criminal complaint that Donut Lab\u2019s promises of energy density and longevity have been overstated and that the company lacks the production capacity previously claimed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\"><em>HS<\/em> suggests it has seen copies of internal communications between Donut Lab and two partner companies, CT-Coating and Nordic Nano. The paper says that CT-Coating\u2019s first-generation battery is the one that Donut Lab has been advertising, and is the model it handed to Finnish national lab VTT to test. But, according to the emails viewed by <em>HS<\/em>, CT-Coating had abandoned development on that cell in favor of a one still in early development, despite Donut Lab\u2019s <ins>claim<\/ins> in January that it had a technology ready to enter mass production.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_dd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_ld9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Donut Lab CEO Marko Lehtim\u00e4ki reportedly told <em>HS<\/em> he had no knowledge of Peltola\u2019s complaint. Nordic Nano CEO Esa Parjanen, meanwhile, denied Peltola\u2019s accusations, saying that his views were not shared by the company and that Peltola had no involvement with Nordic\u2019s battery project. In a joint <ins>public statement<\/ins> Donut Lab and Nordic Nano stated they &#8220;do not know the exact nature of the complaint&#8221; but denied &#8220;having committed any crime or misleading investors.&#8221; They also describe the complainant (presumably Peltola, though the statement does not name him) as not having &#8220;the necessary knowledge of battery technology or the overall picture of the development work.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"md:col-main grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px]\">\n<div class=\"no-scrollbar col-body mx-4 mb-8 mt-2.5 overflow-x-scroll whitespace-nowrap md:mx-0 md:max-w-[750px] md:overflow-x-visible md:hidden\">\n<div class=\"mx-auto max-w-screen-sm\">\n<ul class=\"inline-flex text-xs md:text-sm\">\n<li class=\"mr-6\">About our ads<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px] drop-cap\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Startup Donut Lab made a splash at the start of the year with some astonishing \u2014 <ins>and suspicious<\/ins> \u2014 claims about its solid state batteries. Now Finnish newspaper <em><ins>Helsingin Sanomat<\/ins><\/em> reports an individual has filed a criminal whistleblower complaint against the company over those claims.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\"><ins>Until recently<\/ins>, Lauri Peltola was listed as the Chief Commercial Officer at Nordic Nano \u2014 the firm reportedly contracted to handle portions of the manufacturing on Donut&#8217;s behalf, and which Donut Lab has <ins>invested in<\/ins>. He reportedly filed a criminal complaint that Donut Lab\u2019s promises of energy density and longevity have been overstated and that the company lacks the production capacity previously claimed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\"><em>HS<\/em> suggests it has seen copies of internal communications between Donut Lab and two partner companies, CT-Coating and Nordic Nano. The paper says that CT-Coating\u2019s first-generation battery is the one that Donut Lab has been advertising, and is the model it handed to Finnish national lab VTT to test. But, according to the emails viewed by <em>HS<\/em>, CT-Coating had abandoned development on that cell in favor of a one still in early development, despite Donut Lab\u2019s <ins>claim<\/ins> in January that it had a technology ready to enter mass production.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_dd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_ld9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Donut Lab CEO Marko Lehtim\u00e4ki reportedly told <em>HS<\/em> he had no knowledge of Peltola\u2019s complaint. Nordic Nano CEO Esa Parjanen, meanwhile, denied Peltola\u2019s accusations, saying that his views were not shared by the company and that Peltola had no involvement with Nordic\u2019s battery project. In a joint <ins>public statement<\/ins> Donut Lab and Nordic Nano stated they &#8220;do not know the exact nature of the complaint&#8221; but denied &#8220;having committed any crime or misleading investors.&#8221; They also describe the complainant (presumably Peltola, though the statement does not name him) as not having &#8220;the necessary knowledge of battery technology or the overall picture of the development work.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/transportation\/donut-labs-battery-claims-reportedly-subject-of-whistleblower-complaint-142133269.html&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/012AD41F1C3C06E1209282856C5F012A373435ED59BC7A5FB20D6C892B96EB17\/subgraphmysterio\/resizefit_w1200;quality_90;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2F2026-04%2Fdb3e38a0-2f3b-11f1-bf3a-b8c138db88b9&#8243;] Transportation Donut Lab&#8217;s battery claims reportedly subject of whistleblower complaint The CCO of partner Nordic Nano has spoken to authorities, according to Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. Daniel Cooper Senior Editor Fri, April 17, 2026 at 2:21 PM UTC Add Engadget on Google Fri, April 17, 2026 at 2:21 PM UTC Donut Lab [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,63],"class_list":["post-1888690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-engadget-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1888690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1888690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1888690\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1888690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1888690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1888690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}