Disclosed is a battery module, which includes: a cell assembly composed of pouch cells; a bottom plate configured to support the cell assembly and having slits formed therein at predetermined intervals so that edge portions of the pouch cells are put therein; and a side plate provided perpendicular to a plane of the bottom plate and disposed adjacent to an outermost side of the cell assembly, wherein as the edge portions of the pouch cells are put into the slits of the bottom plate, empty spaces are respectively formed between adjacent edge portions, and wherein the empty spaces are used as a cooling channel.