A method for determining characteristic variables for electrical states of an energy storage battery includes subdividing an electrolyte volume of the battery into at least two electrolyte volume components with associated electrolyte balancing areasabd defining at least two electrode plate balancing areas by subdividing the total resistance of electrode plates in the battery into resistance components for the defined electrode plate balancing areas and by subdividing the total energy storage capacity of the electrode plates into energy storage capacity components for the defined electrode plate balancing areas. The method further includes determining the electrolyte concentration of the electrolyte volume components for the defined electrolyte balancing areas and determining the amounts of charge which are held in the electrode plates in each of the electrode plate balancing areas. At least one characteristic variable for associated electrical states of the battery is determined using a mathematical model.