A materials handling vehicle comprising a materials handling mechanism, a drive mechanism, a battery receiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: the materials handling mechanism is configured to engage goods in a warehouse environment and cooperates with the drive mechanism, under power from the removable battery assembly, to move goods along an inventory transit surface in the warehouse environment; the removable battery assembly and the battery receiving space cooperate to define a battery insertion and removal axis along which the removable battery assembly is inserted into and removed from the battery receiving space; the removable battery assembly comprises a battery body, a leading face, an electrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly, and a battery locking mechanism comprising a spring-loaded locking pin (240A, 240B) being constrained to linear movement along a latch engagement and disengagement axis (152A, 152B) that is perpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis; the battery receiving space comprises an electrical connector that complements the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly, and a battery latch (150A, 150B); the leading face of the removable battery assembly rests on a bottom surface of the battery receiving space with the electrical socket engaged with the electrical connector and with the battery locking mechanism engaged with the battery latch (150A, 150B); the electrical socket, the electrical connector, the battery body, and the battery receiving space are configured to define a standoff gap extending along the battery insertion and removal axis between opposing surfaces (416, 418) of the electrical socket and the electrical connector, with the leading face of the removable battery assembly resting on the bottom surface of the battery receiving space; and the battery latch (150A, 150B) that engages the battery locking mechanism simultaneously with engagement of the electrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly with the electrical connector in the battery receiving space, as the removable battery assembly is inserted into the battery receiving space. the materials handling mechanism is configured to engage goods in a warehouse environment and cooperates with the drive mechanism, under power from the removable battery assembly, to move goods along an inventory transit surface in the warehouse environment; the removable battery assembly and the battery receiving space cooperate to define a battery insertion and removal axis along which the removable battery assembly is inserted into and removed from the battery receiving space; the removable battery assembly comprises a battery body, a leading face, an electrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly, and a battery locking mechanism comprising a spring-loaded locking pin (240A, 240B) being constrained to linear movement along a latch engagement and disengagement axis (152A, 152B) that is perpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis; the battery receiving space comprises an electrical connector that complements the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly, and a battery latch (150A, 150B); the leading face of the removable battery assembly rests on a bottom surface of the battery receiving space with the electrical socket engaged with the electrical connector and with the battery locking mechanism engaged with the battery latch (150A, 150B); the electrical socket, the electrical connector, the battery body, and the battery receiving space are configured to define a standoff gap extending along the battery insertion and removal axis between opposing surfaces (416, 418) of the electrical socket and the electrical connector, with the leading face of the removable battery assembly resting on the bottom surface of the battery receiving space; and the battery latch (150A, 150B) that engages the battery locking mechanism simultaneously with engagement of the electrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly with the electrical connector in the battery receiving space, as the removable battery assembly is inserted into the battery receiving space.