A cell balancing circuit includes a plurality of battery cells coupled in series, balancing switches, each balancing switch being coupled in parallel to a respective battery cell, balancing resistors, each balancing resistor being coupled in series to the respective battery cell, a balancing controller that individually controls the balancing switches such that the battery cells are discharged through the balancing resistors, and positive temperature coefficient (PTC) elements, each PTC element being positioned adjacent to a respective balancing resistor and electrically coupled to the respective balancing switch coupled in series to the respective balancing resistor.