Strange new EV-makers keep appearing in China
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Business | A sucky business<br>Strange new EV-makers keep appearing in China<br>If you can make a robo-vacuum, you can make a car<br>Share
Photograph: Getty Images
Jun 24th 2026|Shanghai|2 min read
Next year Dreame, a Chinese company better known for its robo-vacuums, plans to start selling sleek electric vehicles (EVs). It is not the only firm branching out from small household appliances to machines that can carry an entire household. Rox Motor, which started selling electric SUVs in 2023, was also founded by a vacuum tycoon. Xiaomi, which made its name producing cheap smartphones (and also makes vacuums, among other things), began selling sports cars a year later.
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