A comparanive stady was made of specific discharging capacity of metal hydride electrodes (MH) based jn a hydrogen-sorbing AB2 alloy (ZrNi1.2Mn0.5Cr0.2V0.1) and its compositions with an AB5 alloy [the intermetallide LaNi5 with predominating components (Co, Mn, Ca)] in thecourse of the nickel-metal hydride battery formation. The formation of the active mass of the MH electrode (on the fifth charge-discharge cycle) has been found to proceed most effectively at a powder composition ratio of alloys AB2:AB5 = 1:1.