To retard the oxidation reaction of a nonaqueous electrolyte and an electrode under high temperature and enhance cycle characteristics by including a specified ratio of a specific compound in a nonaqueous electrolyte.

A compound represented by the formula is contained in a nonaqueous electrolyte by 0.01-1 vol.%. In the formula, R1-R4 represent the same or different alkyl group or aryl group. The compound represented by the formula contained in the nonaqueous electrolyte reacts with the nonaqueous electrolyte to form a surface-covering layer on the surface of the electrode before an electrode active material and the nonaqueous electrolyte cause oxidation reaction, and retards deterioration of the electrode caused by the reaction of the electrode itself and the nonaqueous electrolyte. A nonaqueous electrolyte battery is constituted by stacking a belt-shaped negative electrode and a belt- shaped positive electrode through a separator, spirally winding them to form a wound electrode, and housing the wound electrode into a nickel-plated steel battery can.