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Panasonic Launches eneloop NiMH Batteries in Europe

March 24, 2014 by Jeff Shepard

Panasonic Energy Europe NV will sell eneloop rechargeable batteries under the Panasonic brand from April 2014. The new product lineup will feature three different types – an eneloop standard model, "eneloop pro" high-end model, and "eneloop lite" entry model. Thanks to improvements to the materials used for the positive electrodes, the new eneloop standard model can be recharged up to 2,100 times, making it one of the most reusable batteries in the industry. eneloop and "eneloop lite" will retain approximately 70% of maximum energy level after five years of self-discharge at room temperature (20 degrees C) following a full charge.

eneloop is Panasonic’s brand name for its rechargeable nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries. It combines the reusable qualities of a rechargeable battery with dry battery qualities which is immediate usability after purchase or long-term storage. All batteries will naturally self-discharge, meaning that the amount of energy stored within will gradually decrease, but eneloop offers significantly improved resistance to this self-discharge to provide similar levels of convenience to dry batteries. A charged eneloop battery can be left for up to five years – an industry leading – and still be used afterwards without the need for a further charge.

eneloop was first launched in Japan in November 2005. The series has been expanded ever since, with technological innovations leading to ever improved performance. Today, the batteries are on sale in over 60 different countries worldwide, with cumulative unit shipments having passed the 300 million mark (as of March 2014).