Ultrafast nanostructured SnO2/graphene nanoplatelets (SnO2/GNP) composite material is synthesized by direct microwave irradiation technique. The tetragonal SnO2 phase is confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction pattern and revealed the D-band and G-band in Raman analysis for the presence of graphene nanoplatelets, quantified with 20% mass in thermogravimetric analysis. The measured surface area of SnO2/GNP composite is 50 m2 g−1 and the transmission electron microscopic results shows nanocrystalline SnO2 particles (10 nm), well-decorated on graphene nanoplatelets. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analyses confirm that there is no charge storage buildup in Li vs SnO2/GNP lithium cell with additive electrolyte and the cyclic voltammetric analyses reveal highly reversible characteristics of alloying-dealloying mechanism of Sn. The Galvanostatic discharge-charge studies of Li vs SnO2/GNP lithium cells with additive electrolyte are exhibited capacity fade/hysteresis abated stable cycling performance and delivered three-fold higher discharge-charge capacities of 745/738 mAh g−1 than the conventional electrolyte (220/219 mAh g−1) for the 100th cycle at 100 mA g−1. The rate studies are yielded the discharge-charge capacities of 387/383 mAh g−1 at 3000 mA g−1 and 412/410 mAh g−1 for the 500th cycle at 1000 mA g−1, as a superior anode for high-rate lithium-ion batteries.