Sanyo Electric Introduces New CR-V3 Lithium-Ion Battery

Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. (Tokyo) announced plans to launch a manganese dioxide, lithium-ion primary battery, the CR-V3, for high-powered devices such as digital cameras and mobile communications terminals.

The CR-V3 battery has thin electrodes that make the area of electrode plates for a given volume 15 percent larger than that of the previous battery, the CR123A. According to the company, the lifetime is seven times longer than that of an alkaline manganese battery. (In case of 3W discharge, compared with the company's conventional batteries.) When used at 3W discharge, it lasts about 140 minutes.

The new battery can replace two AA batteries. It works under a broad range of temperatures, from -40 to +60 degrees C. The new battery has good working characteristics under low temperatures such as lasting 50 times longer at 0 degrees C than an alkaline manganese battery, according to Sanyo.

Shipments of the CR-V3 battery will begin in September 2001, and will be available on the market on October 25, 2001.