A prismatic rechargeable battery includes a housing comprising a plurality of cell vessels separated from one another by electrically insulating intermediate walls and a plate stack provided in each of the cell vessels, the plate stack comprising stacked electrode plates and a plurality of contacts. The battery also includes contact connector plates coupled to each of the intermediate walls such that each of the contact connector plates is in electrical contact with a contact of a plate stack. Each of the intermediate walls has a contact connector plate on a first side thereof electrically coupled to a contact connector plate on a second side thereof through the intermediate wall.