Battery with nonaqueous electrolyte

The development of a novel negative electrode material has led to the provision of a battery with a nonaqueous electrolyte which has a combination of a high discharge capacity with excellent cycling characteristics. The battery with a nonaqueous electrolyte comprises: a positive electrode (4); a negative electrode (6) having a negative electrode active material capable of occluding and releasing an alkali metal; and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The negative electrode active material contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of group 4B elements and group 5B elements and has at least one crystal structure selected from the group consisting of BiF structure, CuMnAl structure, and AgAsMg structure. And the negative electrode active material contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ge, Sn, P, Sb and Bi and has at least one crystal structure selected from the group consisting of BiF structure, CuMnAl structure, and AgAsMg structure.