A battery module comprising: a housing having a cover attachable to a body; a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing, each of the battery cells comprising a pair of terminals (52, 54); an upper interconnect panel stamped from a sheet of conductive metal, the upper interconnect panel having a plurality of first panel openings extending therethrough and including a plurality of first contacts (74, 76) that are secured to the terminals (52, 54) of the battery cells, respectively, the first contacts (74, 76) being at least partially disposed in the first panel openings, respectively; a lower interconnect panel (60, 166) stamped from another sheet of conductive metal, the lower interconnect panel (60, 166) having a plurality of second panel openings extending therethrough and including a plurality of second contacts (80, 82) that are secured to the terminals (52, 54) of the battery cells, respectively, the second contacts (80, 82) being at least partially disposed in the second panel openings, respectively; a monitoring module connected to the lead frame; and wherein the upper and lower interconnect panels (164, 166) are connected to the battery cells to form a circuit arrangement, and wherein the monitoring module is operable to measure electrical properties of the circuit arrangement; characterized by the battery module further comprising a carrier comprising a lead frame molded into a body of thermoplastic resin, wherein the lead frame is connected to a plurality of locations on the upper and lower interconnect panels (164, 166), and wherein at least an upper portion of the body of the carrier is disposed above the upper interconnect panel and at least a lower portion of the body of the carrier is disposed below the lower interconnect panel; and wherein the body of the carrier has an upper surface at least partially surrounded by an upper flange and a lower surface at least partially surrounded by a lower flange, and wherein the upper interconnect panel adjoins the upper surface of the body and is disposed inward from the upper flange, and the lower interconnect panel adjoins the lower surface of the body and is disposed inward from the lower flange. a housing having a cover attachable to a body; a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing, each of the battery cells comprising a pair of terminals (52, 54); an upper interconnect panel stamped from a sheet of conductive metal, the upper interconnect panel having a plurality of first panel openings extending therethrough and including a plurality of first contacts (74, 76) that are secured to the terminals (52, 54) of the battery cells, respectively, the first contacts (74, 76) being at least partially disposed in the first panel openings, respectively; a lower interconnect panel (60, 166) stamped from another sheet of conductive metal, the lower interconnect panel (60, 166) having a plurality of second panel openings extending therethrough and including a plurality of second contacts (80, 82) that are secured to the terminals (52, 54) of the battery cells, respectively, the second contacts (80, 82) being at least partially disposed in the second panel openings, respectively; a monitoring module connected to the lead frame; and wherein the upper and lower interconnect panels (164, 166) are connected to the battery cells to form a circuit arrangement, and wherein the monitoring module is operable to measure electrical properties of the circuit arrangement; characterized by the battery module further comprising a carrier comprising a lead frame molded into a body of thermoplastic resin, wherein the lead frame is connected to a plurality of locations on the upper and lower interconnect panels (164, 166), and wherein at least an upper portion of the body of the carrier is disposed above the upper interconnect panel and at least a lower portion of the body of the carrier is disposed below the lower interconnect panel; and wherein the body of the carrier has an upper surface at least partially surrounded by an upper flange and a lower surface at least partially surrounded by a lower flange, and wherein the upper interconnect panel adjoins the upper surface of the body and is disposed inward from the upper flange, and the lower interconnect panel adjoins the lower surface of the body and is disposed inward from the lower flange.