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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.52

         THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, NOR
UNDER ANY STATE SECURITIES LAW AND MAY NOT BE PLEDGED, SOLD, ASSIGNED OR
TRANSFERRED UNTIL (i) A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO IS EFFECTIVE
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AND ALL APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR
(ii) THE COMPANY RECEIVES AN OPINION OF ITS COUNSEL, OR OTHER COUNSEL REASONABLY
SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY, THAT THIS NOTE MAY BE PLEDGED, SOLD, ASSIGNED OR
TRANSFERRED WITHOUT ANY EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT OF 1933 AND ALL APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

                         LITHIUM TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

                           CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTE

$975,000                                                        JANUARY 10, 2000

         For value received, Lithium Technology Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the "Borrower"), hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the
order of Pacific Lithium Limited, a New Zealand corporation (together with its
successors, assigns and transferees, collectively, the "Lender"), the principal
amount of up to nine hundred seventy-five thousand Dollars ($975,000) (the
"Loan"), plus unpaid default interest (the "Default Interest") accrued thereon
(after payment hereunder is past due) to the date of repayment in full thereof,
to be used for general corporate purposes. This Note is being delivered in
connection with the Bridge Loan Financing Agreement dated November 29, 1999
between the Borrower and the Lender (the "Bridge Loan Agreement"). All
capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings set
forth in the Bridge Loan Agreement.

         1.      Maturity Date. The Loan shall be converted in accordance with
the terms herein into Conversion Consideration on the earlier of (A) May 30,
2000, if the shareholders of the Borrower shall not have voted to approve the
Merger Agreement contemplated by the parties hereto (the "Merger Agreement") on
or before such date or (B) the date after the day on which the Merger Agreement
is terminated in accordance with its terms (the "Termination Date") set forth in
the Merger Agreement (as such terms are defined herein).

         2.       Default Interest.

                  2.1 Any overdue principal of the Loan shall bear Default
Interest, payable on demand, for each day from and including the Maturity Date
until the date of actual payment in full thereof (both before and after
judgment), at a rate per annum equal to 12%. All payments of Default Interest
shall be made as part of the Conversion Consideration.



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                  2.2 Default Interest on the Loan shall be payable immediately
and shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days and paid for the actual
number of days for which payment is past due (including the first day but
excluding the last day).

         3.       Conversion.

                  (a) This Note (including both principal and accrued Default
Interest, if any) shall be automatically converted into the Conversion
Consideration (as defined below) on the earlier of (A) May 30, 2000, if the
shareholders of the Borrower shall not have voted to approve the Merger
Agreement on or before such date or (B) the date after the Termination Date set
forth in the Merger Agreement, provided that a Merger Agreement shall have been
executed and delivered by the Borrower and the Lender but the Borrower and the
Lender shall not have consummated the transaction contemplated under the Merger
Agreement (the "Transaction") by the Termination Date. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if the closing of the Transaction does not occur on or before the
Termination Date due to a failure by the Lender's Board of Directors to act on
good faith in proceeding with the Transaction contemplated under the Merger
Agreement, then the Conversion Consideration shall consist solely of the Shares.

                  (b) The term "Conversion Consideration" means the due
authorization, execution and delivery of each of the following documents and
instruments in accordance with the Bridge Loan Financing Agreement dated the
date hereof between the parties hereto: (i) the Commitment Warrant, (ii) the
Commitment License Agreement and (iii) a certificate issued in the name of
Lender, and delivered in escrow to its U.S. legal counsel, representing shares
of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Borrower issuable upon
conversion of the principal of this Note at a per share price equal to $0.10 per
share or, upon the Lender's request pursuant to Section 3.3(b) of the Bridge
Loan Agreement, a certificate issued in the name of Lender, and delivered in
escrow to its U.S. legal counsel, representing shares of Preferred Stock of
Borrower.

         4.       Miscellaneous.

                  4.1   Notices. All notices shall be made in writing and shall
be delivered by facsimile or mailed first class postage prepaid, to the Borrower
or to the Lender at such respective addresses as may be furnished in writing to
the other party.

                  4.2   Transfer. This Note may be transferred by the Lender to
any of its affiliates at any time without the written consent of the Borrower,
but may not be transferred to any other third party without the prior written
consent of the Borrower, which will not be unreasonably withheld.


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                  4.3   Waiver and Amendment.

                        (a)  The Borrower hereby waives to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law, presentment, demand, notice, protest, and all other
demands and notice in connection with the delivery, acceptance, performance,
default or enforcement of this Note, and hereby consents to any extensions of
time, renewals, releases of any party to this Note, waivers or modifications
that may be granted or consented to by the holder of this Note in respect of the
time of payment or any other provisions of this Note.

                        (b)  THE BORROWER FURTHER WAIVES, TO THE EXTENT
PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION RELATING TO THIS
NOTE.

                        (c)  No failure or delay on the part of the Lender in
exercising any of its rights, powers or privileges hereunder shall operate as a
waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof preclude any
other or future exercise of any right, power or privilege. The remedies provided
herein are cumulative and are not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

                  4.4 Construction. This Note shall be construed and enforced in
accordance with, and the rights of the parties shall be governed by, the laws of
the State of New York, without regard to its conflicts of law principles.

                  4.5 Expenses. The Borrower shall pay on demand all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses incurred or sustained by the Lender in connection with
the enforcement or protection of rights of the Lender under this Note, including
all costs of collection and the fees and disbursements of legal counsel.

                  4.6 Attorneys Fees. If any legal action is commenced by either
party hereto to enforce its rights under this Note, the prevailing party shall
be entitled to recover from the other party all costs of such action, including
reasonable attorneys fees and court costs.

                  4.7 Loss, Theft, Destructions, Etc. Upon receipt by the
Borrower of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower of the loss, theft,
destruction or mutilation of this Note, and, in the case of loss, theft or
destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower,
and upon reimbursement to the Borrower of all reasonable expenses incidental
thereto, or, in the case of mutilation or transfer of this Note, upon surrender
and cancellation of this Note, the Borrower will make and deliver a new Note of
like tenor (payable, in the case of transfer, in the name of the new holder or
its order), in lieu of this Note.

         5. No Security. This Note is unsecured until such time as the
shareholders of Borrower shall approve the Merger and at such time this Note
shall be secured by the collateral described in the Blanket Security Agreement.

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                  [Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

                        [Signature page-- $975,000 Note]

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Note has been executed and delivered on the
date specified by the duly authorized representative of the Company.

                                        LITHIUM TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

                                        By:  /s/ David J. Cade
                                             -----------------------------
                                             Name: David J. Cade
                                             Title: Chairman and CEO