A battery cell assembly, comprising: a first rectangular ring-shaped panel member having first and second side walls (40, 42), a first top wall, and a first bottom wall, the first and second side walls being substantially parallel to one another and being disposed between the first top wall and the first bottom wall, the first side wall having a first coupling member, the second side wall having a first ledge portion; a second rectangular ring-shaped panel member having third and fourth side walls (240, 242), a second top wall, and a second bottom wall, the third and fourth side walls being substantially parallel to one another and being disposed between the second top wall and the second bottom wall, the third side wall having a second coupling member, the fourth side wall having a second ledge portion, such that the first coupling member of the first side wall of the first rectangular ring-shaped panel member engages the second ledge portion of the fourth side wall of the second rectangular ring-shaped panel member and the second coupling member of the third side wall of the second rectangular ring-shaped panel member engages the first ledge portion of the second side wall of the first rectangular ring-shaped panel member; a first battery cell and a second battery cell wherein the first battery cell includes a first peripheral lip portion, and the second battery cell includes a second peripheral lip portion, and a gasket disposed between the peripheral lip portions (402, 422) of the battery cells (16, 18) to support the peripheral lip portions within the battery cell assembly, wherein the battery cells (16, 18) and the gasket are fixedly held between the first and second rectangular ringshaped panels (12, 14). a first rectangular ring-shaped panel member having first and second side walls (40, 42), a first top wall, and a first bottom wall, the first and second side walls being substantially parallel to one another and being disposed between the first top wall and the first bottom wall, the first side wall having a first coupling member, the second side wall having a first ledge portion; a second rectangular ring-shaped panel member having third and fourth side walls (240, 242), a second top wall, and a second bottom wall, the third and fourth side walls being substantially parallel to one another and being disposed between the second top wall and the second bottom wall, the third side wall having a second coupling member, the fourth side wall having a second ledge portion, such that the first coupling member of the first side wall of the first rectangular ring-shaped panel member engages the second ledge portion of the fourth side wall of the second rectangular ring-shaped panel member and the second coupling member of the third side wall of the second rectangular ring-shaped panel member engages the first ledge portion of the second side wall of the first rectangular ring-shaped panel member; a first battery cell and a second battery cell wherein the first battery cell includes a first peripheral lip portion, and the second battery cell includes a second peripheral lip portion, and a gasket disposed between the peripheral lip portions (402, 422) of the battery cells (16, 18) to support the peripheral lip portions within the battery cell assembly, wherein the battery cells (16, 18) and the gasket are fixedly held between the first and second rectangular ringshaped panels (12, 14).