A method for assembling a fuel cell stack for a vehicle is provided wherein the method includes the steps of: (1) providing a batch of fuel cells having varying active area thicknesses among each fuel cell; (2) measuring an active area thickness for each fuel cell in the batch of fuel cells and sorting each fuel cell in the batch of fuel cells into one of a first group, a second group, and a third group based on the active area thickness for each fuel cell; (3) assembling a target number of fuel cells to a target height from at least one of the first, second and third groups onto a first end plate; and (4) affixing a second end plate to the target number of fuel cells and the first end plate thereby creating a fuel cell stack.