Abstract: A battery is provided with a container, one cell wide, having a top, a bottom, two end walls, a closed side wall and an open side. Plural plate elements are formed by connecting together a plurality of positive plates, each with a tab on one side, and a plurality of negative plates, each with a tab on an opposite side. The plural plate elements are inserted face first and positioned through the open side into the container. A separate cover seals the open side of the container and compresses the plural plate elements in the container. The battery may be either a sealed, valve-regulated, lead acid type or a lithium ion type. The container may have one or more cells and head space which serves as an electrolyte reservoir. The container also has holes formed in the two end walls. A pre-cast post is arranged either in each of the holes on one side of a multi-cellular container or in a single hole in each opposite end wall of a single-cell container.