In this study, a metal hydride (MH) alloy (MmNi(3.81)Mn(0.41)Al(0.19)Co(0.76)) is modified by electroless nickel plating with the controlled variables of plating time (A), temperature (B), amount of MH alloy (C), pH (D), concentration of reducing agent (NaH2PO2 center dot H2O) (E), and complex agent (Na3C6HSO7 center dot 2H(2)O) (F). Based on the two-level orthogonal array strategy, the Ni loadings on the modified MH alloy of -20.25-11.83% are strongly affected by the variables of A, D, E, and F, as well as the two-factor interactions of AB, AC, AD, BD, and EF. The utility of the unmodified MH alloy used as the negative electrode material of the Ni-MH battery decreases from 100.6 to 7.6% when increasing the discharge rate from 0.2 to 10 C. The utility at the discharge rate of 10 C can be increased to 54.5% for the MH alloy modified by electroless plating Ni when the plating time, temperature, amount of MH, pH, and concentrations of the reducing agent and complex agent are equal to 10 min, 70 degrees C, 2 g, 7.0, 15 g L-1, and 30 g L-1, respectively. Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.