In this paper, based on the multi-scale multi-domain (MSMD) battery modeling approach, the NTGK model was used to model the 18650 cylindrical lithium-ion single battery on the electrochemical sub-scale. The model was successful, as it was able to fit the experimental voltage and temperature of the battery at different temperatures. Lithium-ion battery discharge capacity and energy output can be improved during cold starting by preheating and insulation, as demonstrated by a comparison of the impacts of heat transfer coefficient and preheating duration at −20 °C ambient temperature. For the traditional heating method, the heating model of heating film (HF) and liquid-cooled plate (LCP) is constructed in this paper, and the heating performance of both is compared by Fluent. Analysis of the energy balance of Li-ion battery at low temperatures has been presented, showing that Li-ion battery requires a suitable start-up temperature to maximize energy output. Taking care of the problem of excessive temperature difference inside the battery due to excessive heating power, we investigated the effects of axial thermal conductivity, heating power, and heating area on the heating uniformity of the battery in this paper. Finally, a multi-stage stepped power (MSP) heating method was proposed to improve the temperature control accuracy of HF. A level orthogonal test L16(43) without interaction was designed to determine the degree of influence of each parameter on the temperature control performance and the optimal level combination, revealing that the optimized maximum temperature and temperature control rate were reduced by 4.09% and 40.53%, respectively, when compared to direct heating.