Rod-like nanocrystalline V 3 O 7 ·H 2 O has been synthesized hydrothermally via a simple and elegant route. Techniques X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms have been used to characterize the structure, morphology and composition of the materials. The as-prepared V 3 O 7 ·H 2 O nanorods are up to several of micrometers in length, about 130nm in width and about 70nm in thickness in average, respectively. Cyclic voltammetric characterization of thin films of V 3 O 7 ·H 2 O nanorods has revealed reversible redox behavior with charge–discharge cycling corresponding to the reversible lithium intercalation/deintercalation.