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Long range, extended endurance, variable speed autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) appear to be an attractive solution to problems of environmental monitoring, geophysical exploration and military surveillance. To undertake their intended autonomous missions these vehicles require reliable and cost-effective power systems. Although there is presently an extensive interest in untethered AUVs, with far reaching efforts being made in a variety of activities, only limited headway has been made in the development of power systems which could be readily integrated into these vessels. The majority of current research is focusing on increasing the underwater endurance and hence cost effectiveness of the vehicle by developing compact, lightweight high energy density power systems for vessel propulsion. Subsequently, a number of different power systems have been investigated proposed, designed and developed.