With innovative vehicle architectures such as Cell-to-Pack and Cell-to-Body, the battery system is increasingly integrated into the primary vehicle structure. Consequently, the high-fidelity simulation of battery response under crash loading has become a critical aspect of virtual development, as the battery evolves into a primary load-bearing component. Current modeling approaches, however, often struggle to accurately represent the complex mechanical and safety-critical behavior of cells within large-scale simulations. A key challenge lies in developing a constitutive model that reliably captures both mechanical deformation and the start of internal short circuits. Given the inherent complexity of full-vehicle models, it is essential to minimize the additional computational cost while ensuring that simulation results remain robust and interpretable. This paper presents a newly developed macroscopic cell model based on extensive experimental data obtained from the "DigiTain" research project. The experimental campaign involved prismatic cells subjected to various loading conditions, including different cell orientations, punch geometries, and intrusion velocities. By correlating force-displacement characteristics with the exact timing of internal short circuits, a simulation model was established that accurately reflects real-world mechanical cell behavior. The model is implemented in LS-DYNA, the industry-standard solver for highly dynamic problems in the automotive sector. Furthermore, the transferability of the methodology to cylindrical and pouch cells is demonstrated, supported by a detailed validation against experimental results. The proposed methodology provides OEMs with a decision-making framework for the design of battery enclosures and Body-in-White structures. It enables engineers to evaluate whether a cell should be fully protected, allowed a defined degree of deformation, or fully integrated into the structural load path. This flexibility offers significant potential for optimizing vehicle safety, range, and weight. Beyond the automotive industry, this approach is applicable to any battery-powered product with stringent mechanical requirements.