In the current electric vehicle (EV) market, cylindrical lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have played an indispensable role due to their high capacity and stability. However, LIBs are generally recognized as fragile and may cause fires or explosions when broken. Upon this issue, most studies focus on revealing the detailed reaction and interior change in the LIB during using or abuse conditions. However, in this study, we would like to provide a highly accessible model for automotive cylindrical LIBs that is practical in engineering application and can reduce computational effort in the entire EV crash simulation. In order to achieve this goal, the LIB model is built and meshed as a whole and a specific anisotropic material model is set so as the model can apply to multidirectional mechanical loading. Considering various operating condition of LIBs, state of charge (SOC) dependence and dynamic effect is termed as factors worth noticing when establishing this model. Furthermore, to predict the electrochemical responses and failures of LIBs, two optional short-circuit criteria are defined. The proposed modeling method provides a powerful tool for analyzing the safety of batteries and battery packs with less computational and analytic effort than previous approaches.