The invention discloses an electrolyte containing benzene dinitrile and a lithium ion battery applying the electrolyte. The electrolyte containing the benzene dinitrile comprises a non-aqueous solvent, a lithium salt and an additive, wherein the non-aqueous solvent is a carboxylic acid ester compound with a mass percentage of 1-40% in the electrolyte containing the benzene dinitrile; the additive comprises fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and at least one of benzene dinitrile compounds having a structure shown in a formula I, the formula I is shown in the specification, and n is an integer from 1 to 3; in 0.01-5% of the benzene dinitrile compound in the additive, double nitrites containing carbons of 1 to 3 are connected at ortho positions, meta positions and para positions of a benzene ring, an acetonitrile radical group (-C-CN) on the benzene ring can be complexed with metal ions such as Co<3+> in a positive active material, thus, electrolyte decomposition is reduced, the dissolution of the metal ions is suppressed, a positive pole is protected, and the high-temperature performance of the battery is improved.