A method for forming a battery assembly including: a) stacking a plurality of battery plates to form a plurality of electrochemical cells, and b) welding about an exterior periphery of the plurality of battery plates to form one or more integrated edge seals such that one or more individual battery plates are bonded to one or more adjacent battery plates. The one or more individual battery plates may include one or more projections extending from the exterior periphery of the individual battery plate toward the adjacent one or more battery plates; and wherein upon stacking, the one or more projections of the one or more individual battery plates overlap about an exterior of the one or more adjacent battery plates. The integrated edge seal may be formed by one or more projections bonding to the one or more adjacent battery plates.