A lithium ion electrode (502, 504) for use in a lithium ion cell, the lithium ion electrode (502, 504) comprising: an electrochemically active electrode material comprising: a nanostructured template comprising a metal silicide; and a layer of an electrochemically active material having a theoretical lithiation capacity of at least 500 mAh/g coating the nanostructured template, the electrochemically active material configured to take in and release lithium ions during cycling of the lithium ion cell, wherein the nanostructured template facilitates conduction of electrical current to and from the electrochemically active material and provides support to the layer of the electrochemically active material, wherein the nanostructured template comprises silicide containing nanowires, and wherein the nanowires have an aspect ratio of greater than one; and a current collector substrate in electrical communication with the electrochemically active electrode material and comprising the metal of the metal silicide; the nanostructured template comprises nanowires rooted to the substrate, the nanowires comprising free-ends and substrate-rooted ends, characterized in that the layer of the electrochemically active material is at least twice as thick at the free-ends of the nanowires than at the substrate-rooted ends. an electrochemically active electrode material comprising: a nanostructured template comprising a metal silicide; and a layer of an electrochemically active material having a theoretical lithiation capacity of at least 500 mAh/g coating the nanostructured template, the electrochemically active material configured to take in and release lithium ions during cycling of the lithium ion cell, wherein the nanostructured template facilitates conduction of electrical current to and from the electrochemically active material and provides support to the layer of the electrochemically active material, wherein the nanostructured template comprises silicide containing nanowires, and wherein the nanowires have an aspect ratio of greater than one; and a nanostructured template comprising a metal silicide; and a layer of an electrochemically active material having a theoretical lithiation capacity of at least 500 mAh/g coating the nanostructured template, the electrochemically active material configured to take in and release lithium ions during cycling of the lithium ion cell, wherein the nanostructured template facilitates conduction of electrical current to and from the electrochemically active material and provides support to the layer of the electrochemically active material, wherein the nanostructured template comprises silicide containing nanowires, and wherein the nanowires have an aspect ratio of greater than one; and a current collector substrate in electrical communication with the electrochemically active electrode material and comprising the metal of the metal silicide; the nanostructured template comprises nanowires rooted to the substrate, the nanowires comprising free-ends and substrate-rooted ends, characterized in that the layer of the electrochemically active material is at least twice as thick at the free-ends of the nanowires than at the substrate-rooted ends.