Motor vehicle battery modules having an energy content of at least 5 kWh for use as energy storage for electric cars. Such a battery module includes multiple individual batteries, each of which has at least one housing and at least one galvanic cell disposed within the housing. The battery module further includes a joining device, by which the individual batteries are assembled to form a battery module that can be handled as a whole. The battery module has, on its outside, a spray-applied protective layer that includes a wax and surrounds at least sections of the battery module.