This　study　aimed　to　reveal　the　lightning-induced　conduction　characteristics　and　improve　the　lightning　damage　simulation　of　carbon　fiber-reinforced　polymer　(CFRP)　composites.　The　real-time　conductivity　of　CFRPs　under　lightning　impulses　was　investigated.　A　potential　barrier　model　of　＂fiber-resin-fiber＂　units　was　established　based　on　the　electron　hopping　and　tunneling　effect　to　clarify　the　nonlinear　conduction　mechanism.　An　impulse　equivalent　circuit　model　of　CFRPs　was　constructed　and　experimentally　verified.　The　effective　resistance　was　proposed　and　incorporated　into　the　coupled　thermoelectrical　damage　analysis　of　CFRPs　under　lightning　component　A.　The　simulated　damage　based　on　different　conductivity　models　was　compared　with　the　experimental　results,　indicating　that　the　adoption　of　effective　resistance　can　advance　the　simulation　study　of　lightning-induced　damage　in　actual　lightning　environments.　This　adoption　can　decrease　the　maximum　deviation　in　simulated　in-plane　damage　from　-42.8%　to　-8.86%　and　decrease　the　deviation　in　the　predicted　through-thickness　damage　from　2　to　3　layers　to　within　1　layer.