Method One: According to the Electrolyte
The batteries could be classified into 4 types, they are:
(1) Alkaline Battery, means any battery that use KOH (potassium hydroxide) aqueous solution as the main component of the electrolyte, including alkaline zinc manganese battery (commonly called “alkaline battery” for short), cadmium nickel battery, MH/Ni (metal hydride nickel) battery, and the rest;
(2) Acid Battery, means any battery that use H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) aqueous solution as electrolyte, such as lead-acid battery;
(3) Neutral Battery, means any battery that use saline solution as electrolyte, such as zinc manganese dry battery (sometimes is classified as acid battery) and sea water activated battery;
(4) Organic Electrolyte Battery, means any battery that use organic solution as electrolyte, such as lithium battery and lithium-ion battery.

Method Two: According to the Patterns of Storage and Work
The batteries could be classified into 4 types, they are:
(1) Dry /Primary Battery, means any battery that can not be recharged, such as zinc manganese dry battery, lithium primary battery, etc.
(2) Secondary /Rechargeable Battery, including cadmium nickel battery, MH/Ni (metal hydride nickel) battery, lithium-ion battery, and lead-acid battery (commonly called “accumulator” for short), etc.
(3) Fuel Battery, means any battery that have to continuously add active materials into the battery when it works, such as hydrogen-oxygen fuel battery.
(4) Reserve Battery, means any battery that add electrolyte into the battery only when it works, such as Mg-AgCl (magnesium silver chloride) battery which is also known as “sea water activated battery”.

Method Three: According to the Materials of the Electrodes
The batteries could be classified into 6 series, they are:
(1) Zinc Series, including zinc manganese battery, zinc silver battery, etc.
(2) Nickel Series, including cadmium nickel battery, MH/Ni (metal hydride nickel) battery, etc.
(3) Lead Series, including lead-acid battery and the rest.
(4) Lithium Series, including lithium magnesium battery and the rest.
(5) MnO2 (manganese dioxide) Series, including zinc manganese dry battery, alkaline zinc manganese battery, etc.
(6) Air /Oxygen Series, as zinc-air battery and the rest.