Power batteries are a crucial component of electric vehicles and other electric equipment. Their long-term high-rate discharge generates a lot of heat, which can lead to battery failure, shortened battery life, and even safety accidents if not managed properly. Due to its high thermal conductivity, the heat pipe can quickly conduct heat away from the battery and separate the heat source from the heat sink. In addition, due to its excellent isothermal performance, the heat pipe can also achieve the characteristics of low-temperature preheating and high-temperature cooling of the power battery by reducing the inhomogeneity of the battery temperature field to reduce the temperature difference. In this paper, we review the current state of the art in thermal management of automotive lithium-ion battery, and highlight the current state of thermal management of batteries based on the combination of nanofluids and heat pipes. Finally, the development of nanofluidic heat pipes in lithium-ion battery heat management systems is prospected.