A battery carrier for a traction battery of an electric vehicle includes a battery container which is fastened to the vehicle body by holding devices that are clamped around a longitudinally extending sliding tube mounted on the vehicle body. The sliding tube is displaceable relative to the holding devices along a limited distance in the axial direction, so that the battery container can be accelerated relative to the vehicle body in the event of a frontal impact. Energy absorbing devices for controlling the transmission of kinetic energy from the battery container to the vehicle body, while partially consuming energy, may be formed by deformation tubes which are arranged on the sliding tube, and are made, for example, of a fiber composite material.