STRUCTURALLY STRENGTHENED BATTERY ENCLOSURE

Battery enclosures, vehicle with battery enclosures, and methods for improving thermal performance of battery enclosures are provided. A method for improving thermal performance of a battery enclosure includes forming the battery enclosure with a bottom wall and a side wall, wherein the side wall includes a bottom section, a middle section, and a top section; reducing a thickness of the middle section and top section to form a bottom step between the bottom section and the middle section; forming a top step from the top section; and locating internal battery components within the battery enclosure. The top step has a first thickness, the bottom step has a second thickness, and the middle section has a third thickness; the first thickness is greater than the third thickness; and the second thickness is greater than the third thickness.