News

Electric Fuel Announces Production on Continuous ZincAir Powerpack for Cellular Phones

April 12, 2000 by Jeff Shepard

Electric Fuel Corp. (New York) announced production on their universal ZincAir booster powerpack, which will enable cellular phone users to "cut the cord" while talking and charging their cellular phone, simultaneously. The less than 3oz powerpack provides up to three complete charges to the phone's battery without the need for an electrical outlet.

The booster is based on the same high-capacity 3,300mAh ZincAir cells that the company currently packages in disposable batteries for cellular phone users. Now when users need to recharge their batteries they can take a new ZincAir booster powerpack out of its package and plug the booster's adapter into the cellular phone, enabling immediate, continuous talk while charging.

The charging process will take less than one hour and the universal powerpack will be available with a variety of adapters. When the powerpack's capacity is exhausted, it can be disposed of safely just like regular alkaline batteries.

“Our immediate objective with the new product line is to be able to provide backup power and charging solutions for a host of phones from a broad spectrum of manufacturers, without limitations imposed by phone form factors," said Jonathan Whartman, Electric Fuel's vice president for marketing. “People who buy cellular phones and other electronic devices today want to use them all the time." Whartman also added that the same powerpacks will be able to power all kinds of wireless devices, including Internet phones and hand-held devices, that use 3.6V rechargeable batteries, such as lithium-ion.

The powerpack boosters are expected to start shipping in two months.