We report for the first time fabrication of nanostructured V2O5 thin film cathodes for lithium-ion batteries using Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles as biological templates. TMV-templated V2O5 electrodes showed enhanced electrochemical performance compared to electrodes with a planar configuration demonstrating high specific capacity, excellent rate capability and cycling stability. A specific capacity of 12μAhcm−2 was achieved for the TMV-templated electrode with a V2O5 layer thickness of ∼30nm, which is 7–8 times higher than the specific capacity of planar V2O5 electrodes of the same thickness. Higher areal specific capacities are achievable by increasing active battery material loading: electrodes with twice higher V2O5 loading delivered capacities of ∼25μAhcm−2. Development of the cathode is an important step towards the fabrication of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with superior virus-templated electrodes for high performance electrochemical energy storage.