Exide Technologies Allies With Maxwell Technologies

    Firms to Develop Integrated, Portable Energy Systems Pairing Advanced
                   Lead-Acid Batteries and Ultracapacitors

    PRINCETON, N.J., May 17 Exide Technologies , the
global leader in stored electrical energy solutions, has signed a multi-year
development and supply agreement with
Maxwell Technologies, Inc. to develop and market advanced,
integrated stored energy systems for military, commercial and certain types of
passenger vehicles.  This strategic collaboration positions both companies to
be the first to market with affordable, portable battery/ultracapacitor
solutions for these markets.

    San Diego-based Maxwell Technologies, Inc. develops, manufactures and
markets high-reliability electronic components and power and computing
systems.  The partnership will produce high-tech battery/ultracapacitor
systems that incorporate Exide Technologies' high-performance, spiral-wound
Exide Select Orbital(R) batteries and Maxwell's PowerCache(R) Ultracapacitors.
Applications will include cold-starting and 42-volt systems for hybrid
internal-combustion/electric vehicles; commercial medium- and heavy-duty
trucks; and military ground, surface and sub-surface vehicles.

    The PowerCache(R) Ultracapacitor is a new energy storage and
power-delivery device.  The Exide Select Orbital(R) battery is an outstanding
high-energy device.  The combination of the two creates a long-life energy
system with both high-power and high-energy performance under a very wide set
of operational conditions and temperatures.  This includes low-temperature
truck starting, regenerative braking and high-demand military applications.

    While Exide Technologies manufactures a range of battery chemistries,
lead-acid is the chemistry of choice for this system because of its low cost,
high recycling rate and excellent reliability.  The battery/ultracapacitor
system will deliver superior cycle life at high currents and in extreme high
and low temperatures.

    "Our partnership with Exide Technologies is an excellent fit on a number
of levels," said Carl Eibl, President and Chief Executive Officer of Maxwell
Technologies, Inc.  "The PowerCache(R) Ultracapacitor is a proven, well-known
power source.  When paired with the high-performance Exide Select
Orbital(R) -- the only original-equipment-approved spiral-wound battery -- the
result is the most affordable, highest quality stored energy system available
for hybrid and electric vehicles both today and in the future."

    Ultracapacitors deliver up to 100 times the energy of a conventional
capacitor and deliver 10 times the power of ordinary batteries.  They extend
the life of on-board battery systems by efficiently recapturing energy from
braking and releasing the energy in high-power bursts for acceleration during
hundreds of thousands of discharge/recharge cycles.

    The Exide Select Orbital(R) features a highly efficient design and
construction of tightly wound plates that provide unparalleled power among
conventional automotive batteries.  It can hold a charge for long periods of
non-use; it is extremely resistant to vibration, heat and cold; and offers
greater safety because it contains no free liquid electrolyte and does not
produce gas.  The battery can be mounted in virtually any position in any
location, offering vehicle manufacturers maximum design flexibility.

    "Our partnership with Maxwell underscores the significance of the word
'technologies' in our company's name," said Craig Muhlhauser, President and
Chief Operating Officer of Exide Technologies.  "Our alliance allows Exide
Technologies to demonstrate our innovation in high-technology energy storage
solutions, as well as to enter an all-new growth segment.  The
battery/ultracapacitor power system will have far-reaching applications in the
future, opening new opportunities in the marketplace at an affordable cost,
with significant energy savings and improved vehicle performance."