Lithium-ion batteries have been widely used to power portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones, digital cameras, laptops etc., and are considered to be a promising choice of power system for the next generation of electric vehicles, which are central to the reduction of CO(2) emissions arising from transport. In order to increase energy and power density to meet the future challenges of energy storage, many efforts have been made to develop nano active materials for lithium-ion batteries. Herein we review the advantages of nano active materials for lithium-ion batteries. Moreover, some disadvantages of nano active materials and their solutions are also discussed.