A fuel cell stack formed of repeating cell units is provided wherein each cell unit includes a fuel cell having an anode side and a cathode side; an anode side frame; a cathode side frame; a bipolar plate having an anode side interconnect adjacent to the anode side frame and a cathode side interconnect adjacent to a cathode side frame of an adjacent cell unit; a cathode side seal between the fuel cell and the cathode side frame; and an anode side seal between the fuel cell and the anode side frame, wherein at least one of the anode side interconnect, cathode side interconnect, anode side seal and cathode side seal are compliant.