The　porous　micro-/nanostructured　Co3O4　microellipsoids　are　successfully　fabricated　through　a　urea　assisted　solvothermal　route　using　polyvinylpyrrolidone　(PVP)　as　the　capping　reagent　followed　by　thermal　treatment　in　air.　The　porous　characterization　has　been　performed　to　confirm　that　porous　Co3O4　micro-/nanostructures　are　composed　of　numerous　primary　nanocrystallines.　The　specific　surface　area　and　pore　size　of　the　Co3O4　microellipsoids　are　around　similar　to　24.2　m(2)　g(-1)　and　13.5　nm,　respectively.　The　obtained　porous　Co3O4　microellipsoids　demonstrate　the　high　initial　discharge　capacity　of　similar　to　1314　mAh　g(-1)　with　a　Columbic　efficiency　of　79.2%　at　a　current　density　of　50　mA　g(-1)　in　the　potential　range　of　0.01-3.0　V.　More　impressively,　a　significantly　improved　reversible　capacity　of　similar　to　1192　mAh　g(-1)　is　retained　at　100　mAg(-1)　after　50　discharge-charge　cycles.　Excellent　rate　capabilities　(similar　to　920　mAh　g(-1)　at　200　mA　g(-1)　and　similar　to　630　mAh　g(-1)　at　600　mAg(-1))　are　observed　for　the　porous　microellipsoid-like　structure.　It　should　be　noted　that　the　unique　porous　micro-/nanostructured　microellipsoids　play　an　important　role　in　the　enhanced　electrochemical　lithium　storage　performance.　Therefore,　the　porous　micro-/nanostructured　Co3O4　microellipsoids　should　be　suitable　as　an　anode　material　for　lithium　ion　batteries.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.