Electrification in the automotive industry is gaining a main role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and countering climate change. The most common batteries used in electric vehicles are Li-ion batteries thanks to their advantages such as high density, long life and high efficiency. Li-ion batteries change their thickness reversibly during charging and discharging as a result of Li intercalation and de-intercalation, respectively. As battery cells are commonly constrained within a module and so their expansion is limited, this so-called Breathing effect may provoke an increase in pretension force. This can result in asymmetric pressure distribution over the battery cell body, promoting ageing and reducing the safety of the cells themselves.