A rechargeable lithium battery comprising: a positive electrode comprising a positive active material; a negative electrode comprising a silicon-based negative active material; an electrolyte comprising a lithium salt and a non-aqueous organic solvent, wherein the non-aqueous organic solvent comprises an ethylene carbonate-based organic solvent of Chemical Formula 1: wherein, R 1 and R 2 are the same or different, and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen groups, a cyano group, a nitro group (NO 2), and substituted alkyl groups, and at least one of R 1 and R 2 is the halogen group or the substituted alkyl group; and a separator comprising a polymer substrate and a ceramic-containing coating layer on the polymer substrate, wherein the ceramic-containing coating layer is positioned only between the polymer substrate and facing the positive active material, thereby suppressing metal-ion elution therebetween, wherein the ceramic-containing coating layer comprises a ceramic and a heat resistant resin in a mixing ratio of about 50: 50 wt% to about 90: 10 wt%, wherein the ceramic-containing coating layer has a porosity from about 60% to about 80%, and the ceramic-containing coating layer has a thickness from about 3 μm to about 5 μm. a positive electrode comprising a positive active material; a negative electrode comprising a silicon-based negative active material; an electrolyte comprising a lithium salt and a non-aqueous organic solvent, wherein the non-aqueous organic solvent comprises an ethylene carbonate-based organic solvent of Chemical Formula 1: wherein, R 1 and R 2 are the same or different, and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen groups, a cyano group, a nitro group (NO 2), and substituted alkyl groups, and at least one of R 1 and R 2 is the halogen group or the substituted alkyl group; and a separator comprising a polymer substrate and a ceramic-containing coating layer on the polymer substrate, wherein the ceramic-containing coating layer is positioned only between the polymer substrate and facing the positive active material, thereby suppressing metal-ion elution therebetween, wherein the ceramic-containing coating layer comprises a ceramic and a heat resistant resin in a mixing ratio of about 50: 50 wt% to about 90: 10 wt%, wherein the ceramic-containing coating layer has a porosity from about 60% to about 80%, and the ceramic-containing coating layer has a thickness from about 3 μm to about 5 μm. wherein, R 1 and R 2 are the same or different, and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen groups, a cyano group, a nitro group (NO 2), and substituted alkyl groups, and at least one of R 1 and R 2 is the halogen group or the substituted alkyl group; and a separator comprising a polymer substrate and a ceramic-containing coating layer on the polymer substrate, wherein the ceramic-containing coating layer is positioned only between the polymer substrate and facing the positive active material, thereby suppressing metal-ion elution therebetween, wherein the ceramic-containing coating layer comprises a ceramic and a heat resistant resin in a mixing ratio of about 50: 50 wt% to about 90: 10 wt%, wherein the ceramic-containing coating layer has a porosity from about 60% to about 80%, and the ceramic-containing coating layer has a thickness from about 3 μm to about 5 μm.