High value-added graphene with high tap density and crumpled texture could be produced from coal via various physical or chemical methods. However, the technological process is complex, purification of deashing, catalytic graphitization, oxidation-reduction and CVD need to be promoted. Graphene, as a novel carbon nanomaterial, possesses unique properties, such as high electrical conductivity, high thermal conductivity, large specific surface area and stable mechanical properties. Coal-based graphene has very broad application prospects in lithium-ion batteries. The application and latest research achievements of graphene in lithium-ion batteries was reviewed. The modification of anode and cathode of batteries by graphene and the preparation of graphene composite conductive agent were focused. A conductive network with a "surface-point" and "point -point" contact mode could be constructed by graphene and different spatial spans could be formed with active materials and conventional conductive agents. Formation of efficient and stable conductive networks around the active materials from different spatial spans, while taking advantage of the unique characteristics of each material. In addition, it can suppress the effect of volumetric expansion, and stabilize the structure, which can improve the specific capacity, charge-discharge properties, cycle performance, rate capability and heat dissipation performance of the whole system. It can also improve the heat dissipation performance of the battery system and increase the upper limit of service temperature, which has obvious advantages compared with the traditional carbon material. The molecular structure, elemental composition, mineral content, maceral components, and degree of metamorphism of coal would affect the characteristics of coal-based graphene. Products with high graphitization degree could be produced from high degree of coal meta-morphism, which had large crystallite dimension and few layer. Graphitizing and particle size is more stringent with using lignite coal and bituminous coal as raw materials. For lithium-ion battery applications, the approach of graphene based coal should use direct oxidation-reduction with high degree of coal. The raw material is mainly anthracite coal with deeper metamorphism, which can generate graphene with higher graphitization, larger microcrystal size and fewer lamellae. And there are a few defects and carbon vacancy by removing oxygen element which could provide extra storage points in the charging process of lithium batteries and increase the reversible capacity. It is important to enhance pretreatment research which could improve basic structural units of coal and aromatic structure. Organic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are easily transformed to layered graphite structure which is good for oxide intercalated. In the conventional battery system, directly using graphene as the anode of lithium-ion battery had the disadvantages of voltage lag and low coulomb efficiency. It is necessary to further elucidate the microscopic changes of graphene in the process of lithium inserting and extracting. In addition, the electrode thickness, size distribution, surface properties, functional groups, layer number, and lamellar structure of graphene would affect its advantages.