The invention concerns a lead-acid battery having all the surfaces of all the electrodes under high pressure and their circumferences kept unchanged by support from mechanically rigid cell walls such that only the thickness of the electrodes is allowed to expand under strong resilient load during the discharge and return during charge. The pressure is 0.49-10.sup.5 -9.81-10.sup.5 Pa (0.5-10 kp/cm.sup.2), and may be obtained by separators or by springs applied to the outer sides of the cell container and may be changed for increased or decreased capacity. The construction of the tubular battery design, prevents material losses due to sludging and a long working life is obtained, since also a totally corroded lead conductor under high pressure may function as a current conductor. The rigid outer containers also allow high liquid pressure and thus a high oxygen solubility and oxygen recombination for sealed cells.