Provided is a rechargeable lithium battery including an electrolyte solution including a non-aqueous organic solvent, a lithium salt, and an additive; a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material; and a negative electrode including a negative electrode active material, wherein the non-aqueous organic solvent includes less than about 5 wt % of ethylene carbonate based on the total weight of the non-aqueous organic solvent, the additive includes one or more lithium compound selected from lithium tetrafluoro borate (LiBF4), lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB), lithium difluorophosphate (LiPO2F2), and lithium bisoxalato borate (LiB(C2O4)2: LiBOB), and the positive electrode active material includes a cobalt-free lithium nickel manganese-based oxide.