A battery module includes a housing having an opening and an electrochemical cell disposed in the housing. The electrochemical cell includes a first cell surface having electrode terminals and an second cell surface substantially opposite the first cell surface. The battery module also includes a heat sink integral with the housing and a thermally conductive adhesive bonded to the second cell surface and a heat sink surface that is facing the second cell surface. The thermally conductive adhesive can include a bonding shear strength and bonding tensile strength between the electrochemical cell and the heat sink of between approximately 5 megaPascals (MPa) and 50 MPa.