The great challenge of designing nitrogen-doped carbon catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is how to reach high utilization of nitrogen-containing active sites and high electrocatalytic performance. By considering the requirements for achieving high nitrogen utilization, proper nitrogen bonding state, and sufficient electron transportation, this work developed a core-shell nanostructured CNT@NC composite with an N-containing carbon shell well-wrapped around a carbon nanotube (CNT) core based on a sacrificed template method. The easily accessible nitrogen atoms enriched on the surface, combined with the contacted CNT electron highways, render the N-containing active sites at outer shell with high ORR catalytic efficiency. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.