The simple method of electroless copper plating using an acidic bath containing only CuSO 4 and H 2SO 4 has been applied to rare earth-nickel-based hydrogen storage alloy powders for the preparation of a hydride electrode. The coating characteristics and electrode properties were investigated. The coating was very easy and fast being performed within 5 min without any pretreatment for air-exposed samples. The results of chemical analyses showed a coating mechanism of an ion exchange between Cu 2+ and alloy constituents. It could be suggested from the electrochemical measurements that this copper plating method is very promising for electrode preparation in hydride batteries.