TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Assembly: In the assembly, the first and second non-conductive frames are held together by a laser weld. The viscosity modifier is a fumed silica powder, and where the coupling agent is a silane. The lead foil is a lead tin alloy and has a thickness of less than 0.2 mm, where at least one of the first and second phantom grids are manufactured from a non-conductive material. Also, at least one of the first and second phantom grids are manufactured from lead or a lead alloy and are configured to provide a corrosion reserve of less than 10 charge-discharge cycles. The positive electrode material is positive active material, and where the negative electrode material is negative active material. The positive and negative electrode materials are lead oxide paste. The assembly is conductively coupled to a negative end pole assembly, a positive end pole assembly, a separator, and at least one additional assembly to form a bipolar battery assembly, where the bipolar battery assembly is encapsulated in a thermoplastic polymer. Preferred Bipole: In the lead acid battery bipole, the positive active material or the negative active material is washed and dried active material. The weight ratio of the positive active material to the phantom grid is less than or equal to 0.40 or less than or equal to 0.25. Preferred Battery: In the valve regulated lead acid battery, (a) the metallic lead and/or lead alloy content is less than or equal to 6.0 g/Ah, or (b) the specific energy content is at least 54 Wh/kg. Preferred Method: In manufacturing the bipolar electrode assembly, at least one of the first and second phantom grids are non-conductive, and where positive and negative active materials are formed from the positive and negative electrode materials in an in-container formation process. The step of coupling the first phantom grid to the positive electrode material is performed by pasting the positive electrode material onto the first phantom grid. The viscosity modifier is a fumed silica powder, and where tile coupling agent is a silane.