The invention discloses a method for rapidly sorting lithium ion batteries. The method involves a formatting and capacity grading detection cabinet and a battery sorting terminal, the formatting and capacity grading detection cabinet and the battery sorting terminal are in telecommunication connection through a network transmission module, the formatting and capacity grading detection cabinet canperform formatting and capacity grading treatment on the lithium batteries, and the formatting and capacity grading treatment process is divided into a constant current charging stage, a constant voltage charging stage, a self discharge stage and a discharge stage; a rapid recording and sorting unit is arranged in the battery sorting terminal, the rapid recording and sorting unit comprises a cross-shaped three-dimensional coordinate system, the cross-shaped three-dimensional coordinate system is composed of a horizontal axis (x-axis), a longitudinal axis (y-axis) and a four-section vertical axis (z-axis), the horizontal axis, namely the x-axis, represents the current, the longitudinal axis, namely the y-axis, represents the voltage, and the vertical axis, namely the z-axis, represents thetime of different stages; and the lithium batteries which do not meet the requirement can be picked out before grouping, the performance of a battery pack can be improved, and the service life of thebatteries is prolonged.