A system for controlling the temperature of a rechargeable electric battery pack for a vehicle includes a plurality of rechargeable electrochemical storage cells disposed in rows of one or more cells each. The system includes two heat exchanger plates for each of the rows of one or more cells. Each heat exchanger plate is configured to allow heat transfer fluid to flow internally thereof and a first of two heat exchanger plates for one of the rows is configured to allow heat transfer fluid to flow in a first general direction. A second of the two heat exchanger plates for the row is configured to allow heat transfer fluid to flow in a second general direction. The first and second general directions are substantially different to one another.