Two electrolyte additives (i.e. vinylene carbonate and organic borates), previously reported by several researchers to show enhanced performance in laboratory-scale Li-ion cells, have been studied in our commercial ICP383562 Li-ion polymer (soft-pack) cells. The objective is to examine how these performance enhancements translate to a commercial product. The performance characteristics analysed in the comparative testing include rate capability, temperature performance, cycle life and abuse (overcharge) resistance. Results show that both additives demonstrate improved cycle life performance; in addition, organic borates also exhibit enhanced rate capability and low-temperature performance. This study also highlights that the choice of the basic electrolyte composition is essential to achieve a balanced cell performance. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.