Hybrid Vehicle Battery: Panasonic's Power Play

A few months back, in the course of looking at which companies stand to profit from the new wave of hybrid vehicles being offered by automakers such as Toyota, Honda, and Ford, we came across one battery maker in particular who, while it may not seem familiar, actually is a household name.

The company, Matsushita Electric -- better known by the name of its premier brand, Panasonic -- licenses nickel metal hydride technology from an American company, Energy Conversion Devices, and uses it to make the batteries used in the automakers' buggies.

That's Panasonic's cutting-edge business. The company is also a leading maker of rechargeable batteries of a size better suited to fit inside a boom box or digital camera.

So Panasonic holds leading positions in two battery markets already. And according to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Panasonic is now going for the triple crown -- aiming to build a better disposable battery and capture market share there as well.

Right now, the market for everyday disposable batteries is dominated by the Big Two: Energizer and Gillette's Duracell. Between them, these power pals control roughly 80% of the U.S. disposable battery market. As of now, Panasonic's share barely registers in comparison to those two titans.

But that might be about to change. Panasonic has found a way to cram