The present disclosure relates to a battery module having a housing with a first cover and a second cover. The battery module includes a plurality of lithium-ion (Li-ion) electrochemical cells disposed in the housing adjacent to the second cover. The battery module also includes a reinforcement column disposed within the housing that extends along a direction from the second cover to the first cover. The reinforcement column is positioned against the first cover and is coupled to a feature between the first and second covers, and the reinforcement column is configured to enhance a load bearing capacity of the battery module.