Battery module, battery pack including battery module, and vehicle including battery pack

A battery module, comprising:

• a plurality of battery cells stacked side-by-side, each of the plurality of battery cells directly contacting at least one adjacent battery cell, each of the plurality of battery cells being a pouch-type battery;
• a module case configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells;
• a heatsink mounted to an outer side of the module case, the heat sink being configured to cool the plurality of battery cells;
• and at least one heat transfer pad disposed in direct contact with both the heatsink and the plurality of battery cells, the at least one heat transfer pad penetrating the module case at least partially, the at least one heat transfer pad including a plurality of cell insertion holes in which respective tabs of respective ones of the plurality of battery cells are inserted, such that a body of each of the plurality of battery cells is outside of the cell insertion holes, wherein the cell insertion holes are on a same plane as the outer side of the module case to which the heatsink is mounted, wherein the module case has at least one pad penetration hole that passes through the outer side of the module case to which the heatsink is mounted, wherein one end of the at least one heat transfer pad is disposed inside the module case to be in direct contact with the plurality of battery cells;
• and wherein the other end of the at least one heat transfer pad passes through the at least one pad penetration hole to protrude to an outside of the module case to directly contact the heatsink.