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                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

              BOLDER TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION FILES FOR CHAPTER 11
                             BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION

         GOLDEN, CO, APRIL 16, 2001 - Bolder Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq:
BOLD) announced today that it has filed a voluntary petition for relief under
Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for
the District of Delaware. Pursuant to Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code,
the Company retains control of its assets and is authorized to operate its
business as a debtor in possession while being subject to the jurisdiction of
the Bankruptcy Court.

         Bolder will continue to work with its outside advisors to effect a sale
of the Company to a strategic buyer; however, there are no assurances that the
Company will be able to conclude a sale, merger or other strategic alternative
and, even if it is able to conclude such a transaction, the Company believes it
is unlikely that the terms of any such transaction would return any value to the
Company's stockholders.

         Bolder will continue to sell and service its customers and consumers of
the SecureStart(TM) line of portable jump starter products.

         Bolder Technologies Corporation, headquartered in Golden, Colorado,
manufactures and markets advanced, high-power spiral wound rechargeable
batteries based on its patented Thin Metal Film ("TMF(R)") technology. The
Company is developing and commercializing consumer and OEM battery products with
the TMF(R) technology, including the SecureStart(TM) Portable Jump Starter
(which the Company began shipping to retailers in September 1999), that use
proven lead-acid electrochemistry in a proprietary configuration with a higher
power density than any commercially available rechargeable battery. The TMF(R)
technology offers numerous advantages over existing batteries for current and
future applications, including near-term opportunities in the marine and auto
after markets for 12V primary starting batteries. Bolder's website is
www.boldertech.com.

         Bolder's TMF(R) technology also has possible future applications in the
pending auto industry conversion from 12V to 36V systems, both directly through
vendor sales and indirectly through a license agreement with Johnson Controls,
Inc. ("JCI").

         This announcement contains forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties, including statements that are preceded by, followed by
or include the words "believes," "plans," "intends," "expects," "anticipates,"
"will," "should" or similar expressions. For such statements, Bolder claims the
protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of



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1995. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and
reported results should not be considered as an indication of future
performance. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those
contained in the forward-looking statements include whether and how Bolder's
proposed strategic alliance with GP Batteries is implemented, difficulties in
raising additional capital on terms acceptable to the Company, uncertainties
regarding Bolder's pursuit of available strategic alternatives, (including
uncertainties regarding Bolder's ability to reduce expenses and extend or
restructure its obligations to conserve cash while strategic alternatives are
being considered) and difficulties in achieving market acceptance for the
Company's present and future products, as well as those factors set forth in
Bolder's registration statement on Form S-3 filed on August 16, 2000, the Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999 and the Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2000, each of which has
been filed with the SEC. Bolder undertakes no responsibility to publicly update
or revise any of the forward-looking statements that may be in this release.
