Abstract: Offers a comprehensive evaluation of the mechanism research of electro-plastic effect. Introduces the influence of electronic wind emerging from drift electron under application of electric field to the density，distribution，structure of movable dislocation，to the stacking fault energy and to the microstructure，and also makes a summary of the existing theoretical research of electro-plastic effect. At last，the prospect of electro-plastic effect and problems to be solved are analysed.

Key words: electro-plastic effect, drift electron, dislocation, electrical pulse, electro-plastic processing