APPARATUS HAVING A PLURALITY OF BATTERY CELLS ARRANGED PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER WITH RESPECT TO A JOINING AXIS

A device has a plurality of battery cells () arranged parallel to one another with respect to a joining axis () and a contact plate () arranged between the battery cells () and having a plurality of recesses () for circumferentially enclosing the battery cells (). The battery cells () of a battery module can be connected in parallel in groups, irrespective of serial contacting at the cell end sections, and the contact plate () has a plurality of contact plate legs (), which enclose the battery cells () with a circumferential section () removed and are connected to one another at intersection points (), for a respective circumferential section () of the battery cells ().