• On TechRepublic: Five super-secret features in Windows 7
March 16, 2009 7:14 AM PDT

HP now sells Boston Power Enviro laptop batteries

by Martin LaMonica
  • Font size
  • Print
  • 3 comments

Hewlett Packard on Monday said that its long-lasting Enviro laptop batteries from Boston Power are available with a three-year warranty.

The batteries costs $149.99 and fit 18 of HP's laptops. They can be purchased online now and will be available in stories later this month.

(Credit: Boston Power)

HP has branded Boston Power's Sonata batteries under the Enviro name to emphasize the environmental attributes. With a longer-lasting battery, consumers need to upgrade less often, which reduces the number of batteries that need to be recycled, HP said in a statement.

Last year, an HP representative estimated the Enviro line costs about $20 to $30 more than traditional batteries.

For start-up company Boston Power, the product release is a significant milestone.

Company founders started three years ago with a fresh design to improve the performance and environmental sustainability of laptop batteries.

While typical laptop batteries start to lose performance after 100 or 150 charges, Boston Power says that its batteries can be charged 1,000 times and get "like new" performance.

Boston Power also sought to use the environmentally conscious materials, eliminating the use PVC plastic andheavy metals cadmium, arsenic, or mercury in the manufacturing process.

In January, Boston Power raised a series D round of $55 million in capital in a difficult financial environment. It plans to expand its laptop battery manufacturing and move into different product categories, including mobile gadget chargers and transportation.

Updated at 7:52 a.m. PT with corrected number of HP laptops the batteries fit into.

Martin LaMonica is a senior writer for CNET's Green Tech blog. He started at CNET News in 2002, covering IT and Web development. Before that, he was executive editor at IT publication InfoWorld. E-mail Martin.
Recent posts from Green Tech
Electric-car maker Tesla preparing IPO
What drives China? Soon, cleaner fuel
Will consumers plug into home energy displays?
Al Gore: Our next power grid will be like the Net
Recycling e-waste: Who should pay?
EV Project to showcase Nissan LEAF
Carbon nanotubes capture greenhouse gases, desalinate water
iPhone app scans bar codes for health, enviro ratings
Add a Comment (Log in or register) (3 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
by BK216 March 16, 2009 7:35 AM PDT
wow go HP. Now if they could get this technology in the 12 cells and include these batteries in ALL of their PCs they'd have a good bargain
Reply to this comment
by stvpaulson March 16, 2009 12:39 PM PDT
HP has always provided excellent products. It's great to see them making this sort of move! As a former PC/Mainframe Tech, I applaud HP for this action. As a former Electronic Tech in the US Navy, I wonder why this hasn't happened sooner? As far as the prior comment goes, if the 8 Cell Batt can last for 1K charges there's no need for more cells as long as the cells supply the required Volts and Amps. However, if we could get even more life-time use from a 12-cell formatt, Why Not? HP should be concerned with providing the highest quality products possible in order to encourage buyers to but their wares! A better mouse trap catches more mice (and makes more profit for the company!). Thanks for reading this comment.
Steve in Washington State
Reply to this comment
by scottthesculptor March 17, 2009 7:59 AM PDT
doesn't this just mean that other companies *can* get more life out of the same lithium ion batteries?

And they still only last a few years.

bring on the ultracapacitors
Reply to this comment
(3 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
advertisement

The 411 on early-termination fees

Verizon Wireless has doubled its early-termination fees for smartphones, but what does it mean for the rest of the industry?

Google has its own plan for Netbooks

No, the search giant isn't saying it will build a Netbook. But it sure knows what it would like one running Chrome OS to resemble, and that's a little different from the Netbook of today.
• Screenshot tour of Chrome OS

About Green Tech

Innovation in energy and environmental technologies is long overdue, in business and at home. Green-tech guru Martin LaMonica and other CNET writers serve up fresh clean-tech news and commentary.

Add this feed to your online news reader

Green Tech topics

advertisement
advertisement

Inside CNET News

Scroll Left Scroll Right