The electrode plate for use in an electrochemical battery is made of a casting; a planar portion; a perimeter and a bus bar extending along a portion of that perimeter. The planar portion and the bus bar are integral parts of the aforesaid casting. The electrode plate is made of lead when used in a lead-acid battery or of other electrode material capable of being formed by casting, when used in other types of batteries. More specifically, the electrode plate has a rectangular shape and a higher-current-density side, and the aforesaid bus bar extends over three adjacent sides of the rectangular shape including the higher-current-density side.