LiPF6/LiBOB blend salt-based electrolytes were investigated as potential candidates for high-power lithium-ion batteries, especially for transportation applications. It was demonstrated that both the power capability and the cycling performance of the lithium-ion cells could be attenuated by controlling the concentration of LiBOB in blend salt electrolytes. The power capability of the lithium-ion cells decreases with the concentration of LiBOB, while the capacity retention of the cells at 55 C increases with the LiBOB concentration. When electrolytes with no more than 0.1 M LiBOB was used, the MCMB/LiMn1/3Ni1/3Co1/3O2 cells have excellent capacity retention at 55 C, while their impedance meets the requirement set by the FreedomCar Partnership. The similar performance improvement on the MCMB/LiMn2O4 cells was also observed with the blend salt electrolyte. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.