It's also six foot long. GM, IIRC, also billed every Volt dealer another $5000 for specialized battery de-powering tooling over and above previous five grand tooling as part of GM's effort to re-distribute costs to the dealer. Previously the dealer sent the entire six foot 435lb behemoth to the factory for servicing. Now GM wants the dealer to break down the assembly on site. Numerous small Volt dealers have dropped the Volt line as the first tooling charge had yet to pay for itself.
Cut away top view
Chassis view
I've been wondering how the battery was installed initially and after long searching haven't been able to find facts or photos showing the process. Very telling however are the PR photos of just the battery itself. Lab photos show a special built dumb cart as opposed to the "SmartKart" on the factory floor. That job has hydraulic lifters, multigauge control instrument module and other unidentifiable gizmos.
What is clear is that removal and re-installation is done from below and involves removal and replacement of the corrective reinforcing plates that solved the first problem. That means that the single post hydraulic car lift can't be used as it's in the way. Also, it's clearly at least a two man job to position the assembly for re-install. That's one guy not working on another car for a time And rubber mallets and crow bars aren't in that tool kit. Around here most shops have center post lifts, so there you go.
By the time the full parts and labor bill is tallied I guarantee labor alone is over a grand.
The next short coming is the lack of current or future second party sources for these batteries. Sears and Pep Boys won't be available for savings as there is only the one LG plant in Michigan making these things, and they're already underutilized. No one in their right mind is going to tool up to make a custom battery that size and with such a tiny market.