Home appliance manufacturer Dreame Technology is planning to enter the Australian and New Zealand new vehicle market with a range of mainstream electric vehicles by early 2027, the company has confirmed to AutoTalk.
Best known for its robot vacuums and floor care products sold through major retailers, Dreame is rapidly expanding into a global appliance powerhouse and is now moving into the automotive sector. The company revealed its vehicle plans at the AWE expo in Shanghai this month.
Founded in 2017 as part of the Xiaomi ecosystem, Dreame now operates more than 6000 retail points across 100 countries and says its core appliance business continues to deliver record revenue and profit.
Distribution model
Dreame says it is exploring distribution partners for the Australian market but has not ruled out establishing its own local operation.
“We’re more likely to go with a distribution model,” a company spokesperson says. “We’re exploring potential partners right now.”
The company is also open to non-traditional retail approaches, leveraging its existing electronics distribution footprint.
“We are unique in the sense that we have a scope and scale already across Australia to launch in many different ways,” the spokesperson says.
Dreame says it is focused on building long-term partnerships rather than pursuing a rapid market entry.
“We’re keen to build longstanding partnerships. We’re not in this for a short-term hit,” the spokesperson says.
“If that means that stays that model for a long period, we’re open to that. If that means it’s a short period before we set up our entire distribution ourselves, then we’re open to that as well.”
The company has also established a Mandarin-speaking liaison based in China to support coordination between its international operations and headquarters, and says it will continue to build out its local team as the automotive business develops.
Product and pricing
While Dreame showcased its 01 and 01X hypercars at the Shanghai event, the vehicles planned for Australia will target more mainstream segments.
The initial line-up is expected to include models in the small SUV, mid-size SUV and potentially sedan segments.
Dreame declined to provide specific pricing but says it aims to be competitive with existing Chinese EV brands while offering a stronger feature set.
The vehicles will use LFP battery cells sourced from CATL, with Dreame developing its own battery pack technology. Battery capacities are expected to range from 60 to 80kWh, with claimed driving ranges of around 700km.
The platform will also support range-extended configurations, with a claimed 550km of pure electric driving range.
The company confirmed it is developing dedicated right-hand-drive vehicles certified to Australian Design Rules (ADR) standards and is targeting five-star ANCAP safety ratings. Local testing is expected to begin by the end of May.
Dreame also unveiled a 60Ah all-solid-state battery at the expo, which it says will enter mass production by the end of the year. The company claims a cell energy density of more than 450Wh/kg, with the technology initially reserved for halo models.
Manufacturing plans
Dreame does not yet have an automotive manufacturing facility.
China’s government has restricted new manufacturing licences for companies without an established export track record, and Dreame says it is working with authorities to secure approval.
At the same time, the company is exploring knock-down assembly options in Europe and the Middle East, including a potential site near Tesla’s Gigafactory in Berlin.
Dreame says vehicle designs are complete and supplier contracts are already in place.
“Suppliers are already in contract,” chief marketing officer Ma Long says.
The company expects to present production-ready vehicles to media within six to eight weeks.
While internal volume targets have been set, Dreame says it is not yet ready to disclose them publicly.
“Those volume expectations are changing as we go through these conversations with partners,” the spokesperson says. “Ask us again very soon.”
Dreame joins a growing list of Chinese technology companies entering the automotive sector, following the likes of Xiaomi and Roborock.
The company’s automotive division, internally known as the Starry Sky Project, has assembled a team of nearly 1000 staff.
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