<p>Vanadium oxide, as a cathode material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), typically provides good cycling for the insertion/deinsertion of Zn²⁺, but it is also prone to structural collapse and slow ion diffusion rate, leading to low capacity and short lifespan. In this work, we reported the preparation of flower-spherical Cu_0.4V₂O₅, which effectively enlarged the crystal spacing (0.987&#xa0;nm) through the pillar effect of interlayer Cu²⁺. This not only alleviated the structural collapse but also provided good electrical conductivity. As the cathode, the electrode showed discharge capacities of 267 and 128 mAh·g⁻¹ at 0.1 and 2 A·g⁻¹, respectively. In addition, the Zn²⁺ storage mechanism was further analysed by <i>ex situ</i> X-ray diffraction, presenting the reaction of the intercalation. This work provides a good idea for pillar-type modification for layered materials.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>