Li4Ti5O12 nanorods are fabricated after calcination of the hydrated lithium titanate precursor, which is prepared from hydrothermal treatment of titanate nanorods in aqueous LiOH based on titanate nanorod reactivity. The morphology, composition, and phase transformation of the calcined samples at different temperatures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Titanate nanorods as starting materials exhibit higher chemical reactivity, regarded as a structure template for retaining the one-dimensional structure of final products after calcination. The formation of Li4Ti5O12 nanorods is related to ion-exchange reaction and Ostwald ripening process due to high chemical reactivity of titanate nanorods. The galvanostatic charge/discharge tests were conducted to measure the electrochemical performance of the Li4Ti5O12 nanorods. It is demonstrated that the Li4Ti5O12 nanorods calcined at 800 degrees C have excellent high rate discharge capability and good cycle stability during insertion and extraction processes, owing to the good crystallinity, unique structure, and the short diffusion distances originated from one-dimensional morphology. (C) 2009 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3121216] All rights reserved.