Ready-to-use rechargeable battery

The Eneloop battery is claimed to be the first ready-to-use NiMH rechargeable battery. It uses technology enabling the batteries to be supplied to the consumer pre-charged and ready-to-use straight off the shelf.

The battery can be charged like a conventional rechargeable battery, up to 1000 times, before it needs replacing, and once charged, it maintains up to 85% of its energy even after 12 months of storage, unlike typical NiMH dry cell batteries which need to be charged before use due to self-discharge.

The battery also has virtually no memory effect and operates effectively in temperatures within -10 to 50°C.

Using rechargeable batteries is one way a household can contribute to helping the environment. Traditional batteries must be thrown away after one use, and with each eneloop potentially replacing 1000 traditional batteries it is claimed that it could prevent more than 1600 tonnes of batteries ending up in New Zealand landfills each year.

The battery can also be disposed in an environmentally-friendly way with its packaging made entirely of recycled PET plastic.