New battery materials are presented that consist of either a solid polyaniline (PANi) fibre or the same fibre containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs). An ionic liquid ethylmethyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) amide (EMI.TFSA) is used as electrolyte. The electrochemical properties of PANi and PANi/CNT fibres are investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry, a.c. impedance and galvanostatic charge–discharge techniques. A PANi fibre with a CNT content of 0.25wt.% exhibits a discharge capacity of 12.1mAhg−1.