Described herein is a battery module where the battery module footprint is generally defined by the size and number of battery cells. This is implemented by first optimizing the battery cell structure and stacking orientation for a given battery module footprint. A predetermined number of battery cells are then removed and replaced with components needed to implement a variety of auxiliary functions. For example, the components can be electrical connectors, cooling channels, heating channels and mounting channels for placement of mounting pins. In an implementation, the positions of the removed battery cells can also be mounting points. The predetermined number of battery cells can be a function of the amount of electrical energy needed to be stored by the battery module. The positions of the removed battery cells can be anywhere in the battery module, including the edge or interior positions.