Single-crystalline SiC nanowires (NWs) with a SiO2 coating (see Figure) have been grown using electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers as templates. SiC NWs produced in this process have uniform cross-sections, well-ordered structures, and very low concentrations of stacking faults, and contain no catalyst. Some bent or helical SiC NWs with single-crystalline structures are also observed.