Hierarchical　nitrogen-doped　carbon　spheres　(NCSs)　prepared　by　annealing　the　MnO2-templated　spherical　polypyrrole　(PPy)　at　450　or　600 °C　were　tested　as　anode　materials　of　Li-ion　batteries.　The　NCSs　annealed　at　450 °C　exhibited　higher　nitrogen　content,　more　amorphous　carbon　structure,　and　lower　surface　area　as　compared　to　the　sample　annealed　at　600 °C.　The　specific　capacities　and　rate　performances　of　both　NCSs　samples　were　much　higher　than　that　of　commercial　mesocarbon　microbeads　(MCMBs).　The　NCSs　annealed　at　600 °C　exhibited　higher　capacity　at　low　current　density　(−1)　but　more　rapid　capacity　decay　at　elevated　current　rates　referring　to　the　sample　annealed　at　450 °C.　The　NCSs　annealed　at　higher　temperature　also　possessed　inferior　cycling　stability,　possibly　due　to　its　lower　electronic　conductivity　and　higher　degree　of　graphitization.　A　high　specific　capacity　of　250.8 mAh g−1　was　achieved　on　the　NCSs　annealed　at　450 °C　at　3 A g−1,　demonstrating　their　high　potentiality　as　anode　of　high　power　Li-ion　batteries.　©　2017　Elsevier　Ltd