Prismatic-Pouch Hybrid Battery Module

A battery module, comprising

• electrochemical cells arranged in a cell stack, each cell comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator, where the separator is sandwiched between the positive electrode the negative electrode and prevents physical contact between the positive electrode and the negative electrode,
• a rigid frame that surrounds a circumference of the cell stack, the frame having an inner surface that faces the cell stack, an outer surface that is opposed to the inner surface, a first edge that joins the inner surface to the outer surface at one end of the cell stack, and a second edge that joins the inner surface to the outer surface at an other end of the cell stack,
• a first cover element formed of a metal foil laminate material, the first cover element overlying the one end of the cell stack and a peripheral edge of the first cover element being joined to the frame along the entirety of the peripheral edge of the first cover element, and
• a second cover element formed of a metal foil laminate material, the second cover element overlying the other end of the cell stack, a peripheral edge of the second cover element being joined to the frame along the entirety of the peripheral edge of the second cover element,
• wherein the first cover element, the second cover element and the frame cooperate to form a module housing that contains the cell stack.