Exide Technologies Named Motorcycle Battery Supplier to BMW

PRINCETON, N.J., April 8 -- Exide Technologies (BULLETIN BOARD: EXDTQ www.exide.com) , a global leader in stored electrical energy solutions, has signed a new, two-year agreement with BMW to supply original equipment batteries for the carmaker's motorcycle line.

Under the terms of the agreement, Exide is providing BMW with its Exide(R) maintenance-free gel motorcycle batteries for the K and R BMW motorcycle models. As a result, 80 percent of BMW motorcycles will be equipped with Exide product in 2003. The batteries are produced at Exide's facility in Castanheira, Portugal, and shipped to the BMW operation in Berlin, Germany -- the only BMW location that produces the motorcycles.

BMW engineers chose Exide's 19 amp-hour maintenance-free, valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) motorcycle battery as a result of its unparalleled performance in both concept competitions with competitors and subsequent laboratory and field tests which took place during an eight-month period. The long shelf life of Exide's motorcycle batteries, combined with their high deep-discharge resistance and strong charge acceptance after deep discharge, make them an ideal power source for the rugged BMW motorcycle models. The batteries also are built to withstand punishing vibration, salt spray, gas and oil, and to protect against equipment-damaging spills, corrosion and seepage.

"For nearly a century, BMW has been successful in its quest to produce the perfect rider's machine, and more than half of these vehicles still prowl the world's roads," said David G. Enstone, president of the Exide Technologies Global Transportation Business Group. "It's a mark of our progress that Exide's world-class motorcycle batteries are now the power behind the world- class BMW motorcycle marque."

In addition to motorcycle batteries, Exide has supplied automotive batteries to BMW for more than 20 years.

About Exide Technologies:

Exide Technologies, with operations in 89 countries and fiscal 2002 net sales of approximately $2.4 billion, is one of the world's largest producers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries. The company's three global business groups -- motive power, network power and transportation -- provide a comprehensive range of stored electrical energy products and services for industrial and transportation applications.

Industrial uses include network power applications such as telecommunications systems, electric utilities, railroads, photovoltaic (solar-power related) and uninterruptible power supply (UPS); and motive-power applications for a broad range of equipment uses, including lift trucks, mining vehicles and commercial vehicles.

Transportation applications include automotive, heavy-duty truck, agricultural and marine, as well as new technologies being developed for hybrid vehicles and new 42-volt automotive applications. The company supplies both aftermarket and original-equipment transportation customers.

Further information about Exide Technologies, its financial results and other information can be found at 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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