Amidst the welter of publicity devoted to the newer battery chemistries. the remarkable progress made by lead/acid battery technologists in response to the needs of the emerging electric-vehicle market has tended to be overlooked. The flooded design of battery, launched by Gaston Plante around 1860, has given way to a valve-regulated variant which has a history dating only from the 1970s, The key parameters of this ＇maintenance free＇ battery have been improved markedly during the course of the development programme of the Advanced Lead-Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC). and it is likely that lead/acid will continue to feature strongly in motive-power applications as a result of its cost advantage and of its enhanced effectiveness.