Lithium-ion batteries are facing difficulties in an aspect of protection towards battery thermal safety issues which leads to performance degradation or thermal runaway. To negate these issues an effective battery thermal management system is absolute pre-requisite to safeguard the lithium-ion batteries. In this context to support the future endeavours and to improvise battery thermal management system (BTMS) design and its operation the article reveals on three aspects through the analysis of scientific literatures. First, this paper collates the present research progress and status of various battery management strategies employed to lithium-ion batteries. Further, to promote stable and efficient BTMS operation as an initiation the extensive attention is paid towards roles of BTMS electronic control unit and also presented the essential functionality need to consider for designing best BTMS control strategy. Finally, elucidates the various unconventional assessment tools can be employed to recognize the suitable thermal management technique and also for establish optimum BTMS operation based on requirements. From the experience of this article additionally delivers some of the research gaps identified and the essential areas need to focus for the development of superior lithium-ion BTMS technology. All the contents reveal in this article will hopefully assist to the design commercially suitable effective BTMS technology especially for electro-mobility application. © IMechE 2021.