Carbon-coated Fe3O4 hollow nanofibers (Fe3O4/C hNFs) as a lithium ion battery anode material are prepared through electrospinning, annealing, and hydrothermal processing. At a high current density of 1000 mAg(-1), the template-free Fe3O4/C hNFs exhibit high 1st- and 150th-cycle specific capacities of similar to 963 and 978 mAhg(-1), respectively. Moreover, Fe3O4/C hNFs have excellent and stable rate capability, compared to that of the Fe3O4 hNFs, and a capacity of 704 mAhg(-1) at a current density of 2000 mAg(-1). Owing to the carbon layer, the Li-ion diffusion coefficient of the Fe3O4/C hNFs, 8.10 x 10(-14) cm(2) s(-1), is 60 times higher than that (1.33 x 10(-15) cm(2) s(-1)) of the Fe3O4 hNFs. These results indicate that Fe3O4/C hNFs may have important implications for developing high performance anodes for next-generation lithium ion batteries. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.