Battery comprising circuitry for charge and discharge control, and method of operating a battery

A battery and a method of operating a battery are provided. The battery comprises at least one battery module. Each battery module comprises a plurality of submodules electrically connected in series. Each submodule comprises a first and a second submodule terminal and at least one cell. At least one submodule in each battery module is a switchable submodule comprising a submodule switching circuit. The submodule switching circuit is switchable between a first state and a second state. The submodule switching circuit electrically connects the at least one cell of the switchable submodule between the first and the second submodule terminal of the switchable submodule when the submodule switching circuit is in the first state. The submodule switching circuit provides an electrical bypass connection between the first and the second submodule terminal of the switchable submodule and the at least one cell of the switchable submodule is electrically disconnected from at least one of the first and the second submodule terminal when the switching circuit is in the second state. The battery further comprises a control unit for operating the switching circuit in the at least one switchable submodule of each module.