NEW DURACELL ULTRA AA LITHUIM

[CKOD]

That doesn't sound good for consumers....a patent to stop other competitors from releasing a similar or competitive product in US.
Meaning if Sanyo or other manufacturers have a primary lithium AA, they can't sell it in US?

You spend a few hundred K or more on R and D and have someone making their own equivalent after ~50k in reverse engineering and some analytical chemistry((or just reading the patent :nana: )) , and undercutting you at 75% of the price and making a bigger profit margin. Now thats really not good for consumers as companies just wait for someone to spend the money and then take their idea

And Sanyo and Duracell can both sell primary lithium AA's, they just cant be lithium iron disulfide cells, if they find a new chemestry that isnt covered under the scope of energizer's patent, they can sell those.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=sG...ge&q=energizer lithium iron disulfide&f=false is the patent if youre curious, Claims are on page 9, and actually shows a lot of technical information about whats inside the cell rather then "some black crap, lithium foil, and a black rod" like you'd find opening it up.

However, in places where energizer's patent has expired, or they didnt get a patent, duracell and everyone can have at it, selling them there.

 

[flame2000]

OK, now I got it. Thanks for the explanation on the patent thing!
I was just looking from a consumer point of view.....cheap for everyone of us!

 

[Lynx_Arc]

If you look at how duracell and energizer DON'T compete in pricing, they only compete in hype (runtime)... I don't expect duracell to be very competitive in lithium AAs here when energizers patent expires as they tend to want more than energizer at times for the same class of batteries. I could see rayovac sporting a better price but even then I would not expect more than 1/3 cheaper. Perhaps lithium advanced type of batteries at $5/4 pack and ultras for $7.50/4pack which IMO doesn't inspire me to buy them readily as the pricing is still to close to LSD nimh. I figure maybe in time you will see costco, walgreens, etc.. generic lithiums sold in 20 packs for $15 or so then things will start to roll but also with the drug makers that poses a serious problem at stores restricting the sale of lithium AAs in large quantity does raise the cost back up some.

 

[radar45]

Hi, I just purchased a 4 pack of AA Duracell Ultra Lithium batteries for AU$10.00 from Kmart here in Albany Western Australia. Energizer Lithium 4 pack are AU$22.00. I would like to see a comparsion between them to see which is the best. Looked on YouTube but cant find a compare.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Hi, I just purchased a 4 pack of AA Duracell Ultra Lithium batteries for AU$10.00 from Kmart here in Albany Western Australia. Energizer Lithium 4 pack are AU$22.00. I would like to see a comparsion between them to see which is the best. Looked on YouTube but cant find a compare.

I would say the duracell is the best.... because it is $3 cheaper per battery

 

[ChibiM]

Yeah.. Interesting to know! let us know when somebody can get to a conclusion.... Duracell or Energizer?

 

[flame2000]

Hi, I just purchased a 4 pack of AA Duracell Ultra Lithium batteries for AU$10.00 from Kmart here in Albany Western Australia. Energizer Lithium 4 pack are AU$22.00. I would like to see a comparsion between them to see which is the best. Looked on YouTube but cant find a compare.

That's a huge difference in price!
Love the Duracell pricing. Hope the cell is just as good!

 

[CheepSteal]

I bought these at the end of 2010 when I first saw them at the 24 hour Kmart at Casula, Sydney (Hi-five if you go here too!). I gave my girlfriend an old AA 120 lumen light (single mode) with a fresh pair of these batteries and she's been using that light for over 7 months daily (non-flashaholic use) with the initial pair of Duracell Lithiums. I'd say they perform just as well as L91s.
I took this picture just a few weeks ago, looks like Kmart has the best price around for lithiums. I checked around and these run for $20 at Coles supermarket.
I still have a pair with little use from 7 months ago. It measures 1.72v on my DMM even though the packaging/wrapper says 1.5v. Strangely, the exp date says March 2024; I thought lithiums have 10 year shelf life?

 

[Quality]

These type of Lithiums have a minimum shelf life of 10 years, and obviously they seem to go beyond that minimum.

Cool pics/info CheepSteal, I hope that Duracell can release those in the US for less than half the price too.

 

[davidV5]

Like Energizer, these cells are good for 15 years.

 

[flame2000]

The lithium primary usually have a max 15 years self life. And the voltages are typically 1.7~1.75v. On some of my energizer lithium, I get ~1.8v, but that's maybe due to the tolerance on my cheapo DMM.

 

[Scott Packard]

What about the House of Batteries 4-pk for $6.79 (+1.99shipping) at Fry's?
http://www.frys.com/product/4333885
I don't find anything online about capacity.

 

[Bat]

so the patent war with Energizer is over now?

 

[Lynx_Arc]

so the patent war with Energizer is over now?

Don't think so.... I think that patents are weaker overseas (last for shorter time). I tried to find how long energizers patent is for, maybe it will run out in the next few years and we will see lithium primaries for $5/4pack normal price.

 

[ncbill]

20 years from the filing date - so until February 2027 unless it is a design patent (if so then it expires February 2021)

Don't think so.... I think that patents are weaker overseas (last for shorter time). I tried to find how long energizers patent is for, maybe it will run out in the next few years and we will see lithium primaries for $5/4pack normal price.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

20 years from the filing date - so until February 2027 unless it is a design patent (if so then it expires February 2021)

If it is that long maybe some new fangled recipe will come up in the meantime.... 16 years is a long time to be stuck paying $2.50 for a AA/AAA primary

 

[TRITON]

WOW, $10 for 4 - I think I must go check out a K-mart soon (lol)

TRITON..

 

[flame2000]

After further check, i realized battery junction had been selling the energizer lithium AA, $7.79 for pack of 4 for our US friends. wish we had this kind of prices here!

 

[sunfire]

Just arrived here:

http://www.duracell.com.br/pt-BR/product/ultra-lithium-pilhas.jspx

"Our best and most powerful alkaline battery" WHAT??? :duh2:

 

[Battery Guy]

The Duracell version has slightly higher power and lower energy when compared to the Energizer Ultra. See here.

The cross-over point appears to be about 1.5 W. So at discharge levels below 1.5 W, the Energizer Ultra is the way to go. For discharge levels above 1.5 W, the Duracell should perform better.

Note that Philips also has a 1.5 V lithium primary AA and AAA battery. However, rumor has it that both the Philips and the Duracell 1.5 V lithium batteries are made in the same facility. I cannot confirm as I have not yet tested the Philips product.

Finally, I know that everyone thinks that the cost of these batteries are artificially elevated in North America because Energizer has a lock on the market. Well, don't expect prices to drop much when the Energizer patents run out. These are inherently much more expensive batteries to make than alkaline cells. I have heard that the separator in a AA Energizer cell costs more than an entire alkaline AA cell, and I believe it.

Cheers,
BG