A method of making a battery plate includes mixing particles of tetrabasic lead sulfate with leady oxide to form a paste material. The particles have an average spherical particle diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers. The method also includes providing at least a portion of the paste material on a battery grid curing the battery grid and paste material at a temperature of less than approximately 48 degrees Celsius to produce a battery plate having a cured paste thereon.