What was the name of Thomas Edison’s nickel–iron rechargeable battery?

Thomas Edison’s nickel–iron rechargeable battery was known as the Edison battery.

Edison developed the battery around the turn of the twentieth century as a durable alternative to lead-acid storage batteries. It used nickel oxyhydroxide at the positive electrode, iron at the negative electrode, and an alkaline electrolyte, typically potassium hydroxide.

The Edison battery was rugged and had a long service life, but it was more expensive and less efficient than competing designs. Edison promoted it for electric vehicles, railway equipment, and other applications that benefited from mechanical toughness.

The battery is also called the nickel–iron battery or NiFe battery. Those technical names describe its chemistry, while “Edison battery” identifies Edison’s commercial version. The device should not be confused with Edison’s earlier experiments with primary batteries, which could not be recharged in the same way.