ROME, October 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- Saft is Launching its Second Generation Li-ion - Intensium 1 Power Plus
- Battery System That Offers 30 Per Cent More Power and Doubles the Service
Life

- Major Telecom Network Operators and OEMs are Adopting Saft Li-Ion
Batteries to Ensure Maximum Reliability and Long-Life for Power Backup
Systems Operating in Demanding Outdoor Cabinet Applications

At Intelec 07 Saft is highlighting the successful breakthrough of its
rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technology in the telecoms sector,
with several international network operators and OEMs already exploiting the
capability of Li-ion batteries to deliver reliable back-up power over a long
service-life, especially in the demanding environmental conditions
encountered in outdoor cabinet applications. Saft is building on this success
by launching its second generation Li-ion telecoms battery Intensium 1 Power
Plus.

Saft has developed its Intensium range of Li-ion telecom
batteries to provide exceptional power and energy density in a compact,
reliable, zero-maintenance, rack-mounted modular system. The new Intensium 1
Power Plus battery is ideally suited for short duration power backup in
smaller, decentralized outdoor plant installations, required to support the
new generation of telecoms networks, such as micro- and macro BTS, ONU and
HFC. It is especially suited for installations in hot countries where
internal summer temperatures can reach +60degreesC - conditions where
conventional VRLA (valve regulated lead-acid) batteries age rapidly,
resulting in low reliability and premature failure.

Some of the first major telecoms applications for Saft Li-ion
batteries include outside cabinets that support the IPTV service for one of
the top three US telecoms operators, and micro-BTS deployment for UMTS
service for the major European operator. Three major telecom manufacturers in
the top five have also selected the Intensium range to equip their new BTS
ranges.

Second generation Li-ion telecom batteries

Saft's Intensium 1 Power Plus (1U - Power: backup from 3 min
to 30 min) design takes Li-ion telecom batteries to the next level by
offering double the service-life. So an anticipated 10 year-life at
20degreesC is now 20 years, while at 40degreesC the life is extended from
five to 10 years. Furthermore the new batteries offer 30 per cent more power,
with the maximum power increased from 3 kW to 4 kW.

As well as the standard 48 V battery system, Intensium 1 Power
Plus now also offers a 24 V version. It has already received UL safety
approvals and will be available in the first quarter of 2008.

Boosting manufacturing capacity

Saft is preparing for even greater demand for its Li-ion telecoms
batteries by upgrading its manufacturing facilities at its factory in
Poitiers, France. This includes new dedicated assembly equipment in order to
ramp up production to several thousand batteries per year.

About Saft

Saft (Euronext: Saft) is a world specialist in the design and manufacture
of high-tech batteries for industry. Saft batteries are used in high
performance applications such as industrial infrastructure and processes,
transportation, space and defence. Saft is the world's leading manufacturer
of nickel-cadmium batteries for industrial applications and of primary
lithium batteries for a wide range of end markets. The group is also the
European leader for specialised advanced technologies for the defence and
space industries. With approximately 3,900 employees worldwide, Saft is
present in 17 countries. Its 16 manufacturing sites and extensive sales
network enable the group to serve its customers worldwide.

For more information, visit Saft at http://www.saftbatteries.com

Press contacts
    
    Ginette Kergoat
    Industrial Battery Group
    Tel: +33-1-49-93-17-69
    E-mail:ginette.kergoat@saftbatteries.com
    
    Jill Ledger
    Saft Communications Director
    Tel: +33-1-49-93-17-77
    E-mail:jill.ledger@saftbatteries.com
    
    Corporate Press contact: - FINANCIAL DYNAMICS - Catherine Toulemonde
    Tel: +33-1-47-03-68-55
    E.mail: catherine.toulemonde@fd.com