Exide Technologies earns new supply agreements with Ford

Princeton, N.J., April 1 -- Exide Technologies (OTC Bulletin Board: EXDTQ)(http://www.exide.com/), a global leader in stored electrical-energy solutions, is expanding its partnership with Ford Motor Company.

In Europe, Exide will supply original equipment automotive starting batteries to the entire Ford manufacturing facility in Genk, Belgium. The facility produces Mondeo cars and Transit light trucks. The supply agreement is scheduled to come into effect in the second quarter of 2003. In North America, Exide has secured additional supply agreements to provide original equipment starting batteries for three future models.

Exide, which has a 30-year relationship with Ford Motor Company, is an original equipment supplier of automotive starting batteries for the Crown Victoria, Econoline, Explorer, F-Series, Grand Marquis, Mountaineer, Ranger, Sable and Taurus car models.

"These new agreements demonstrate Ford's confidence in the strength of our technology and services as well as in our future," said Craig H. Muhlhauser, Chairman and CEO of Exide Technologies. "Strengthening our alliance with Ford has been possible because of Exide's mounting global capabilities as well as our improving levels of quality, service and reliability. No other battery company today -- not one -- can demonstrate the rate of improvement of Exide Technologies."

About Exide Technologies:

Exide Technologies, with operations in 89 countries and fiscal 2002 net sales of approximately US$2.4 billion, is one of the world's largest producers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries. The company's three global business groups - transportation, motive power and network power - provide a comprehensive range of stored electrical energy products and services for industrial and transportation applications. Transportation markets include original-equipment and aftermarket automotive, heavy-duty truck, agricultural and marine applications, and new technologies for hybrid vehicles and 42-volt automotive applications.

Industrial markets include network power applications such as telecommunications systems, fuel-cell load levelling, electric utilities, railroads, photovoltaic (solar-power related) and uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and motive-power applications including lift trucks, mining and other commercial vehicles. Further information about Exide, its financial results and other information is available at http://www.exide.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.

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