Abstract: With relatively high energy density, extended cycle lifespan and trivial environmental pollution, the lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely employed in the electric vehicles and energy storage systems. However, the recent proliferating fire and explosion accidents caused by thermal runaway(TR) has been the main shackles of restricting the large-scale application of LIBs. Therefore, the thermal safety issue of LIBs is research focus of energy storage field, where simulation is regarded as the critical technology to investigate the characteristics of TR and promote the safe application of LIBs considering its negligible cost in time and economics. The research progress of TR modelling works of LIBs at home and abroad is reviewed from the single cell scale to battery pack scale. The heat generation mechanism within batteries and corresponding thermodynamic modelling methods are expounded. Progress made in modelling the venting, combustion and explosion of gases generated by LIBs is summarized. The application of thermal resistance network model and computational fluid dynamics model in predicting the TR propagation behaviour of battery pack is analysed. Finally, the future research on TR thermal modelling of LIBs is discussed.