An investigation was carried out on layered Li(NixMnyCo1-x-y)O-2 (NMC) cathode active materials for Li-ion batteries to determine the effect of morphology on their electrochemical performances. The NMC active materials were doped with Mo or W (2 wt%) in the study. Doped NMC cathodes with a ratio of 111, 622 and 226 (NiMnCo) were synthesized by spray pyrolysis which yielded aggregates were submicron size. A systematic investigation was performed, and two distinct morphology types were identified in active materials as a result. The first type was the aggregates which are densely packed composed of relatively smaller primary particles. The second type was the aggregates those packed loosely with larger primary particles. Our findings showed that the later morphology resulted in higher discharge capacity with lower internal resistance and, a shorter diffusion distance. Thus, the present study provides insights into the importance of morphology on electrochemical properties of layered cathode active materials. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.