SnO2-CoO/carbon-coated CoO core/shell nanowire composites were synthesized by using electrospinning and hydrothermal methods. In order to obtain SnO2-CoO/carbon-coated CoO core/shell nanowire composites, SnO2-Co3O4 nanowire composites and SnO2-Co3O4/polygonal Co3O4 core/shell nanowire composites are also synthesized. To demonstrate their structural, chemical bonding, and morphological properties, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were carried out. These results indicated that the morphologies and structures of the samples were changed from SnO2-Co3O4 nanowires having cylindrical structures to SnO2-Co3O4/Co3O4 core/shell nanowires having polygonal structures after a hydrothermal process. At last, SnO2-CoO/carbon-coated CoO core/shell nanowire composites having irregular and high surface area are formed after carbon coating using a polypyrrole (PPy). Also, there occur phases transformation of cobalt phases from Co3O4 to CoO during carbon coating using a PPy under a argon atmosphere.