Dreame winds down electric-vehicle venture, cuts staff from 1,000 to dozens
Chinese vacuum cleaner maker Dreame is winding down its electric-vehicle venture, codenamed "Star Project", reducing its workforce from nearly 1,000 to a few dozen staff. The move reverses plans announced just over a year ago to build luxury EVs and expand into showrooms in the Middle East.
BEIJING – Chinese vacuum cleaner maker Dreame is winding down its electric-vehicle venture, which it launched with considerable fanfare in August 2025 with the stated goal of building "the world's fastest car", according to Chinese media reports.
The reported wind-down represents a dramatic reversal for the venture, codenamed "Star Project", that Dreame had championed as a key expansion beyond home appliances, with plans to launch its first luxury EVs in 2027.
The venture's workforce peaked at nearly 1,000 employees but has since been reduced to a few dozen staff, mainly in finance, legal and human resources, who are handling matters such as supplier settlements and corporate deregistration, state-owned Economic Daily reported on Monday. Senior executives have begun seeking opportunities elsewhere, while the project has seen waves of layoffs and resignations, leaving large sections of its offices vacant, business outlet Yicai reported over the weekend.
The abrupt change came only months after Star Project outlined plans in February for flagship showrooms across the Middle East, including in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. Earlier this year, Dreame showcased its Nebula NEXT 01 sports coupe and NEXT 01X luxury SUV concept vehicles at the Beijing auto show. The company also aired a 30-second Super Bowl ad promoting its automotive ambitions; the commercial, which cost US$10 million, featured a vacuum cleaner, lawn mower and futuristic sports car transforming into robots before hurling a flaming ball.
Dreame did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement posted on Weibo on Tuesday, Dreame said it had adjusted some exploratory businesses as part of a broader strategic refocus and would integrate related technologies, research results and resources into its core operations. Dreame added that it would concentrate on four core areas: smart homes, outdoor living, smart mobility and embodied AI, without specifically addressing reports that it was exiting vehicle development.
"At present, the company's core product R&D, production, sales, delivery and after-sales services are operating normally, and its domestic and overseas businesses are progressing according to plan," the company said.
