NOVELTY - Battery comprises: (a) stacking supports each including retaining flanges and support surfaces; and (b) generally cylindrical cells, each cell supported on a pair of the support surfaces and each cell having an annular notch defined in a side wall with the annular notch mating with one retaining flange where the cells are arranged upon the stacking supports in cell rows and the support surfaces are arranged on the stacking supports in such a manner so that the cells are arranged in a close-packed array and to maintain a predetermined distance between adjacent cells.    USE - The battery is used in an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle (REV), and a fuel cell vehicle (FCV).    ADVANTAGE - The battery has a configuration that minimizes the amount of plastic used to support the cells, particularly compared to a structure in which groups of cells are housed in a plastic structure prior to being assembled into an array of cell groups to form the battery. The reduction in plastic reduces cost, weight, part count, number of assembly steps, and packaging volume.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a method to assemble a battery comprising: (a) placing lower support strips on a surface; and (b) placing a first generally cylindrical cells onto support surfaces of the lower support strips, where the cells are arranged substantially parallel and placed in an alternating fashion with every other cell having a negative terminal pointing in a first direction and the remaining cells having a positive terminal pointing in the first direction.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows an end view of the stacking supports with cells shown in phantom.    Resilient band (46)    Support strip (50)    First middle support strip (52)    Second middle support strip (54)    Upper support strip (56)    Cell (58,66)    Support surfaces (60,68)    Retaining flanges (62,70)    Annular notch (64)    Lip (72)    Isosceles triangles (74)    Trough (76)