Surfactant aided sol-gel method is used to fabricate highly crystalline carbon-coated LiFePO4 (LFP) in two contrasting microstructural forms: (i) nanoparticulate crystallites (LFP-NP), and (ii). bamboo-like single crystalline nanotubes (LFP-NT) obtained using template-assisted method. LFP-NT exhibit a high specific capacity (similar to 165 mA h g(-1) at 1C-rate) and superior rate capability with reversible capacity of similar to 100 mA h g(-1) (similar to 60 mA h g(-1)) at a current rate of 10C (25C) with almost 100% capacity retention after 1000 cycles, whereas, LFP-NP exhibit poor capacity retention even at low C-rates (