What's the story with Energizer Lithium

[BobDeLaLuz]

In doing some battery research, I stumbled upon the Energizer website and see that they are promoting their new Ultimate Lithium AA batteries.

This looked appealing because I was researching the highest capacity AA Lithium batteries for a work mate who is about to depart on a world trip and wanted a new LED flashlight (which I already helped him select).

He will be staying in hotels that are known for unreliable power at night (no hotel during the day so no way to charge batteries) and his gear will experience many days at high temperatures (120 plus degrees Fahrenheit, higher in the automobiles) which cause his Alkaline cells to fail (his old camera ran Lithium batteries and never failed so you can see where this is going).

His request was for me to find the newest, highest capacity primary Lithium AA batteries and the new Energizer Ultimate Lithium looked promising. The problem is that I cannot find them for sale in the US. Google revealed that they are available in the UK but my friend is not stopping there so we need to by them here before he leaves.

I contacted Energizer twice by email first they said that the battery was not for sale:

"Thank you for your inquiry.
This battery is not yet on the market. The only lithium out at the moment is our regular lithium battery.
Thank you for contacting Energizer. If you need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Energizer Consumer Relations"

Then after I mentioned that Google hows they are sold in the UK and they replied:

"Thank you for your reply.
Yes, this product is currently available in the UK. It has yet to be released in the US. We will certainly forward your comments about the website.
Thank you for contacting Energizer. If you need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Energizer Consumer Relations"

This leaves me doubtful that the email support folks actually know what is going on. Does anyone know if this battery is actually available in the US? If so, where? Has anyone actually tried or tested them? Are they really better in any appreciable way?

Thanks
Bob

http://www.energizer.com/products/hightech-batteries/lithium/Pages/lithium-batteries.aspx

 

[CM]

...This leaves me doubtful that the email support folks actually know what is going on...

Should not come as a surprise. Those folks don't know their....well, you can figure out where I'm going.

As far as the "ultimate" lithium, I think this is marketing and that it is probably just an improvement over the existing Lithium AA line. Nothing revolutionary, just marketing gimmick.

 

[Splunk_Au]

Why is this in the LED section? Don't people bother to look at the forum categories anymore?

 

[BobDeLaLuz]

Why is this in the LED section? Don't people bother to look at the forum categories anymore?

Yes we do, I had replied to a post in the LED forum and didn't notice I hadn't changed forums.

 

[PhotonBoy]

I'm guessing that Energizer is doing some market research. By using the word ultimate and emphasizing the word LITHIUM, they may be trying to benefit from consumers' vague awareness that lithium batteries in cell phones and iPods are more powerful.

If the name change in the UK works out, they will likely launch it in the US, still the world's largest consumer market. JMHO.

Energizer has a patent on their AA lithium cells. These cells have about 1.7 volts and fit most devices using the AA format. I did a bit of googling, but I couldn't determine when their patent expires.

Most other lithium cells generate about 3 volts and are therefore too dangerous or incompatible for devices designed for AA cells.
​

 

[Robocop]

Easy mistake to make and I will try to move this to the battery section......you may receive better input there.

 

[Mr Happy]

When I was last in the UK I looked for Energizer lithium and noticed they were branded slightly differently -- it may have been "ultimate lithium" but I'm not sure now.

Personally, I think they are the same batteries with a different name. The "ultimate" is perhaps meant to convey that they are the ultimate batteries in the range, above alkaline and titanium.

I wouldn't sweat it. Just get the regular Energizer lithiums available in the US. For the longest battery life, far more benefit will be obtained from a flashlight with lower output and power consumption than from marginal improvements in battery capacity.

As a fall back option, AA alkalines should be available almost anywhere in the world, other than the remotest places far from civilization.

 

[Darkpower]

This could also be due to "Trademark" or "Salesmark" availability, and not just some marketing gimmick. A preferred trademark in one country may not be available in another since most countries have their own Trademark and Patent registry. Many products sold in the United States go by different registered trademarks in foreign countries for the simple reason that some other company has already claimed that Trademark or Salesmark.

Anyhow, that is my 2 cents. I think if there was an improvement in battery chemistry it would have been publicised greatly.

 

[SemiMan]

What about a solar charger? If I was doing a world trip that would be one option with some good quality rechargeables. Most can take 60C without long term damage as that is a typical shipping maximum temperature. At night, it is likely to be lower in temperature. Odds are he is only going to carry so many batteries and there is always the possibility of theft, so I would also worry about something that runs happy on crappy batteries..that may be what he ends up using most of the time.

Semiman

 

[BobDeLaLuz]

Easy mistake to make and I will try to move this to the battery section......you may receive better input there.

Thanks RoboCop, I was really scratching my head trying to move it myself

 

[BobDeLaLuz]

When I was last in the UK I looked for Energizer lithium and noticed they were branded slightly differently -- it may have been "ultimate lithium" but I'm not sure now.

Personally, I think they are the same batteries with a different name. The "ultimate" is perhaps meant to convey that they are the ultimate batteries in the range, above alkaline and titanium.

I wouldn't sweat it. Just get the regular Energizer lithiums available in the US. For the longest battery life, far more benefit will be obtained from a flashlight with lower output and power consumption than from marginal improvements in battery capacity.

As a fall back option, AA alkalines should be available almost anywhere in the world, other than the remotest places far from civilization.

Good point, I'll remind him to keep the fallback option in mind.

 

[BobDeLaLuz]

...

Anyhow, that is my 2 cents. I think if there was an improvement in battery chemistry it would have been publicised greatly.

Yes, I see what you mean, if there actually was a real improvement then you guys would have known about it already.

 

[BobDeLaLuz]

What about a solar charger? If I was doing a world trip that would be one option with some good quality rechargeables. Most can take 60C without long term damage as that is a typical shipping maximum temperature. At night, it is likely to be lower in temperature. Odds are he is only going to carry so many batteries and there is always the possibility of theft, so I would also worry about something that runs happy on crappy batteries..that may be what he ends up using most of the time.

Semiman

Another excellent idea, I'll see if I can get him to reconsider rechargeables.

 

[BobDeLaLuz]

I'm guessing that Energizer is doing some market research. By using the word ultimate and emphasizing the word LITHIUM, they may be trying to benefit from consumers' vague awareness that lithium batteries in cell phones and iPods are more powerful.

If the name change in the UK works out, they will likely launch it in the US, still the world's largest consumer market. JMHO.

Energizer has a patent on their AA lithium cells. These cells have about 1.7 volts and fit most devices using the AA format. I did a bit of googling, but I couldn't determine when their patent expires.

Most other lithium cells generate about 3 volts and are therefore too dangerous or incompatible for devices designed for AA cells.
​

If its just a name gimmick, then its not worth the hassle

 

[TorchBoy]

This leaves me doubtful that the email support folks actually know what is going on.

Nothing personal, but I've noticed just a few Americans that don't know or appear only dimly aware that a world outside the United States exists. (I suspect that should read "outside of" for an American.)

This could also be due to "Trademark" or "Salesmark" availability, and not just some marketing gimmick. A preferred trademark in one country may not be available in another since most countries have their own Trademark and Patent registry. Many products sold in the United States go by different registered trademarks in foreign countries for the simple reason that some other company has already claimed that Trademark or Salesmark.

For example...

"Energizer bunny? What do you mean Energizer bunny? "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duracell_Bunny

The Duracell Bunny does not appear in North America, due to Energizer jumping the trademark claim for the marketing use of a "battery bunny" in the United States and Canada.
The Duracell Bunny was originally trademarked for use in the US and other countries. Duracell failed to renew its US trademark of the bunny and as a result lost it. Energizer seeing an opportunity trademarked a new bunny for its use.

:shrug:

 

[BobDeLaLuz]

Nothing personal, but I've noticed just a few Americans that don't know or appear only dimly aware that a world outside the United States exists. (I suspect that should read "outside of" for an American.)
...
:shrug:

I am well aware, I have been doing business globally for almost 30 years. I am also aware that the major call centers have regionalized response so they have zone specific information, however they also have one vast knowledge base they are supposed to check, so a product name in any one region will show up in any search (the second reply confirms that this is still true) meaning that they should have answered the question accurately in the first email, and with availability details which is all I was after. I can easily have family in the UK buy it locally and mail it to me but its not worth it if I can find a supplier here.

Oh I almost forgot the real point, I only knew about this battery because I first found it advertised it on the American web site, it makes no sense to advertise it here if its only available in the UK, does it? PS I can tell its the American site because of the funny spelling and grammar.

 

[TorchBoy]

Hm, you're right. The site has a pic of Ultimate Lithium cells right next to the (American) Energizer bunny.

FWIW I emailed Energizer in 2000 to find out how their Titanium batteries were different from their alkaline ones, and pointed out their FAQ answer on the subject was really just sales waffle. They decided they it wasn't an issue they could answer by email and told me to call an American 1-800 number - not easy from here. To their credit they now have much better information in their datasheets.

 

[Niconical]

Energizer lithium packs hanging on retail shelves here are marked as "Ultimate Lithium".

I didn't actually notice they were different before now, but I just looked at my USA bought ones (from battery station) and they don't include the word 'ultimate'.

Personally I doubt there is any notable difference, maybe they squeezed in a bit more juice so they can write "8 x more...." instead of "7 x more...." but I doubt you'd notice in the real world.

 

[TBrogden]

I was in a Target store in the Atlanta area this evening and there was a mix of Energizer Lithiums and Ultimate Lithiums on the shelf.

The Ultimate packaging now states "Lasts up to 8x longer..." rather than "...7x..." on the non-Ultimate version.

Tony

 

[marschw]

Energizer's own UK website for the Ultimate cells says they're 7x alkalines, like e2 lithium. I'd say this is almost certainly just a branding difference, and any differences that might be measured between them could be attributed to the differences between batches.