Exide Technologies Announces Debt for Equity Exchanges

    PRINCETON, N.J., July 13 Exide Technologies
announced today it has completed debt for equity exchanges totaling $20
million face value of its 2.9% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2005
for approximately 1.2 million common shares.
    "These exchanges are an important step in our plan to reduce our debt
level and increase our equity base.  Although the exchanges may result in
earnings per share dilution, we believe that the reduction in leverage will be
of significant long-term benefit to our shareholders," said Kevin Morano,
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Exide Technologies.
"We currently have the ability to exchange an additional 3.8 million shares
for debt and will be seeking shareholder approval at our annual meeting to
issue up to a total of 20 million common shares for similar transactions."
    As these exchanges involve a convertible security, the company will
recognize a non-cash charge in the second quarter equivalent to the market
value of the shares issued in excess of the original conversion ratio of the
Notes estimated at $8.5 million.  The book value of the Notes was $17.0
million and the company will reduce debt and increase shareholders' equity by
$17.0 million as a result of the transactions.

Note:  Exide Technologies is the global leader in providing electrical energy
storage solutions.  The company has operations in 89 countries, serving the
industrial and transportation markets.
    Industrial applications include network-power batteries for
telecommunications systems, fuel-cell load leveling, electric utilities,
railroads, photovoltaic (solar-power related) and uninterruptible power supply
(UPS) markets; and motive-power batteries for a broad range of equipment uses,
including lift trucks, mining vehicles and commercial vehicles.
    Transportation uses include automotive, heavy-duty truck, agricultural,
marine and other batteries, as well as new technologies being developed for
hybrid vehicles and new 42-volt automotive applications.  The company supplies
both aftermarket and original-equipment transportation customers.
    Further information about Exide Technologies, its financial results and
other information can be found at http://www.exide.com .

    Media contact:  Tim Yost, 734-827-3282; tyost@exideworld.com
    Investor contact: Thomas J. Smith, 609-919-4946; tsmith@exideworld.com

    Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking
statements as defined by the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  As
such, they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause the actual results of the company to be materially different
from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
These are enumerated in further detail in the company's Form 10-K.