The invention discloses a vanadium-lithium phosphate composite material for a positive electrode of a lithium ion battery. The material is powder which is formed by coating surface of Li3V2(PO4)3 with multi-wall carbon nanotube-modified amorphous carbon in situ; and the material comprises 95 to 98 mass percent of Li3V2(PO4)3 and 2 to 5 mass percent of carbon. A preparation method of the material comprises the following steps of: mixing Li2CO3, NH4H2PO4 and NH4VO3 serving as raw materials according to a stoichiometric ratio of the Li3V2(PO4)3; adding the multi-wall carbon nanotubes and polyvinyl alcohol into the mixture; adding anhydrous alcohol into the mixture and mixing the mixture by ball milling on a ball mill; and calcining the mixture in an argon atmosphere to obtain the material. The vanadium-lithium phosphate composite material of the invention is used for the positive electrode of the lithium ion battery, has the advantages of high charging and discharging capacity, high cyclical stability, superior high-rate performance and high material conductivity and is suitable for providing a power energy source for portable electric tools, electric motorcycles, electric automobiles and the like.