Carbon-coated tungsten oxide nanowires were grown directly on carbon fiber of a carbon paper (C-W18O49 NWs/carbon paper) by chemical vapor deposition method and Pt nanoparticles were deposited on the nanowires (Pt/C W18O49 NV/s/carbon paper) to form the composite electrode. The microstructure and electrochemical behavior of the resultant Pt/C-W18O49 NV/s/carbon paper composites are characterized by a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and cyclic voltammetry, respectively. The electrocatalytic activities of these composite electrodes for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were investigated and higher mass and specific activities in ORR were exhibited as compared to commercial Pt/C electrode. Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.