Battery module having a plurality of interconnected batteries

A battery module constituted by coupling a plurality rechargeable batteries together, comprising:

• a plurality of prismatic cell cases having short lateral walls and long lateral walls coupled together, with adjacent short lateral walls being unitarily formed, thereby constituting an integral battery case;
• and
• a single lid member for integrally closing upper open ends of the plurality of prismatic cell cases, wherein
• each of the cell cases accommodates therein a group of electrodes comprising a group of positive electrode plates and a group of negative electrode plates stacked alternately upon one another parallel to the long lateral walls of the cell cases with intervening separators therebetween, thereby constituting rechargeable batteries respectively, and
• neighboring rechargeable batteries are connected in series at their opposite lateral ends with each other, within said integral battery case.