The　global　issues　of　energy　crisis　and　air　pollution　have　offered　a　great　opportunity　to　develop　electric　vehicles.　However,　so　far,　cycle　life　of　power　battery,　environment　adaptability,　driving　range　and　charging　time　seems　far　to　compare　with　the　level　of　traditional　vehicles　with　internal　combustion　engine.　Effective　battery　thermal　management　(BTM)　is　absolutely　essential　to　relieve　this　situation.　This　paper　reviews　the　existing　literature　from　two　levels　that　are　cell　level　and　battery　module　level.　For　single　battery,　specific　attention　is　paid　to　three　important　processes　which　are　heat　generation,　heat　transport,　and　heat　dissipation.　For　large　format　cell,　multi-scale　multi-dimensional　coupled　models　have　been　developed.　This　will　facilitate　the　investigation　on　factors,　such　as　local　irreversible　heat　generation,　thermal　resistance,　current　distribution,　etc.,　that　account　for　intrinsic　temperature　gradients　existing　in　cell.　For　battery　module　based　on　air　and　liquid　cooling,　series,　series-parallel　and　parallel　cooling　configurations　are　discussed.　Liquid　cooling　strategies,　especially　direct　liquid　cooling　strategies,　are　reviewed　and　they　may　advance　the　battery　thermal　management　system　to　a　new　generation.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.