"Completing our first production run is a major milestone for us," said Alan J. Gotcher, Ph.D., president and CEO of Altairnano. "These latest test data support our expectation that our battery materials could appeal to new or existing markets that require high and safe power in extreme temperatures, whether for hybrid electric vehicles or other power applications."

Testing of the newly produced cells has found that they perform at 90 percent of capacity at minus-22 degrees, Fahrenheit. Conventional lithium ion batteries and the nickel metal hydride batteries used in hybrid electric vehicles become either sluggish or unable to charge at temperatures below freezing.

In addition, conventional lithium ion batteries present the danger of spontaneous and catastrophic failure at temperatures above 266 degrees. The safety threshold for Altairnano's nano-structured lithium titanate spinel electrodes is 480 degrees, an important consideration for such extreme environments as aerospace and military applications.

Previous testing had already demonstrated that the Altairnano battery material can be recharged in just a few minutes, has a usable life almost twice that of the newest and best nickel metal hydride batteries, and offers remarkable acceleration and range capabilities in a vehicle.

Altairnano's Anderson facility focuses on design and prototype manufacture of high-power lithium ion cells, batteries and battery packs. Opened in October of last year, the Altairnano building is part of the Flagship Enterprise Center, an incubator for promising new businesses that won incentives from the city of Anderson and the state of Indiana to locate there.

Altair is a supplier and innovator of advanced ceramic nanomaterial technology. Based in Reno, Nevada, Altairnano has assembled a unique team of materials scientists who, coupled in collaborative ventures with industry partners and leading academic centers, have pioneered an array of intellectual property and products. Altairnano's robust proprietary technology platforms produce a variety of crystalline and non-crystalline nanomaterials of unique structure, performance, quality and cost. The company has scalable manufacturing capability to meet emerging nanomaterials demands. Altairnano's two divisions, Life Sciences and Performance Materials, are focused on applications where its nanotechnology may enable new high growth markets.

For additional information on Altairnano and its nanomaterials, visit www.altairnano.com.