Altair Nanotechnologies Begins Manufacturing of High-Power Lithium Ion Battery Cells and Announces New Test Results

Batteries Perform at 90 Percent of Capacity at Extreme Temperatures

Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTI) today announced that its facility in Anderson, Indiana has begun manufacturing and testing the first batch of lithium ion battery cells manufactured at that facility utilizing its nano-structured electrode materials. The Anderson facility is a rapid design, prototyping and applications lab for high power, lithium ion cells, batteries and battery packs.

In the latest testing of its nano-structured battery cells, Altairnano has demonstrated that 90 percent of room temperature charge retention has been achieved at minus 30°C. Recharge at this temperature is unachievable in conventional lithium batteries. In addition, conventional lithium ion batteries have the potential to suffer from thermal runaway issues potentially leading to catastrophic battery failure at temperatures above 130°C. Lithium ion batteries utilizing Altairnano's nano-structured lithium titanate spinel electrodes do not experience thermal runaway at temperatures below 250°C, significantly improving the safety performance of the batteries.

This performance characteristic as well as the batteries other attributes of rapid charge and discharge cycles, extended cycle life and environmental friendliness should be of interest in applications requiring performance at temperature extremes, such as in the aerospace and military markets.