Bimodal battery

A battery for operating in a first or a second power mode, the power generated by the battery in the second power mode being greater than the power generated in the first power mode, comprising:

• an outer casing;
• a sealed compressible container positioned within said outer casing, said container having first and second opposite ends;
• an additive sealed within said container;
• separated positive and negative electrodes, and an electrolyte, said electrodes and said electrolyte being interposed between said casing and said container;
• a piston located within said container, said piston being displaceable between the first and second ends of said container;
• and
• a piston actuation means positioned within said container adjacent said piston, said piston actuation means driving said piston from the first end toward the second end of said container by applying positive pressure to said additive causing said additive to be ejected under pressure into said electrolyte, whereby said battery changes operation from said first mode to operation in said second mode.

A method of increasing the power generated by a battery from a low power mode to a substantially higher power mode, said battery comprising an outer casing, electrodes and an electrolyte located within said outer casing, an additive located within said outer casing and isolated from said electrolyte, and a power mode increasing device for applying one of a positive or negative pressure to said additive, comprising the steps of:

• operating the battery in a low power mode with said additive separated from said electrolyte;
• applying pressure to said additive by means of said power mode increasing device;
• and
• forcibly bringing said additive under the pressure exerted by said power mode increasing device into contact with said electrolyte, whereby the power generated by said battery is substantially increased to operate in a higher power mode.