A battery coolant heater assembly including a coolant manifold having liquid coolant pathways and a heat transfer surface for transferring heat to liquid coolant flowable within the coolant manifold, an electric heater element thermally contacted to the heat transfer surface of the manifold, and a cover sealably enclosing the heating element between the heat transfer surface and the cover via a gasket. The electric heater element is electrically connected via an electrical connector extending through and formed integrally with the gasket.