Next.e.GO Mobile SE Announces Signing of Memorandum of Understanding with Trafigura, a Leading Global Commodities Group, to Solidify Long-Term Supply of Aluminium and Battery Metals

Rhea-AI Summary

Next.e.GO Mobile SE has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Trafigura Pte. Ltd. to establish a long-term supply chain management agreement, focusing on the supply of aluminum and battery metals including lithium, cobalt, and copper. Commencing in January 2024 and lasting at least five years, this collaboration aims to boost e.GO’s supply chain reliability and support its decentralized growth strategy. The partnership also includes provisions for a supply credit facility and emphasizes sustainability through carbon declaration via the Agora platform. This move is pivotal as e.GO prepares for its upcoming business combination with Athena Consumer Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: ACAQ).

Positive

• Long-term agreement with Trafigura expected to enhance supply chain reliability.
• MOU includes provisions for a supply credit facility, supporting financial flexibility.
• Focus on sustainable sourcing with carbon transparency through Agora platform.

Negative

• None.

•  The agreement intends to establish long-term supply chain management services leveraging Trafigura’s worldwide capabilities and access to key resources.
• The Supply Chain Solution is expected to become operational starting in January 2024
• The agreement will increase e.GO’s supply chain reliability and significantly enhance e.GO’s ability to pursue its decentralized growth strategy.

AACHEN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Next.e.GO Mobile SE (“e.GO” or the “Company”), an innovative producer of urban electric vehicles, today announced that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Trafigura Pte. Ltd., a leading international commodity company, to establish a long-term supply chain management service agreement focused on the supply of aluminium and battery metals such as lithium, cobalt, and copper.

e.GO, based in Aachen, Germany, designs and manufactures battery electric vehicles for the urban environment, with a focus on convenience, reliability and affordability. The Company’s proprietary technologies and low capex MicroFactory production facilities have ushered in innovative solutions for producing electric vehicles. The Company is focused on true lifecycle sustainability of urban electro mobility with a view toward material science, production technology, robotics and digitization.

Under the MOU, Trafigura will supply 100% of e.GO’s requirements for transition and battery metals. The MOU also details the approach that will be taken for measuring carbon intensity for each source of metals across the supply chain and providing carbon declaration and transparency through the Agora supply chain emissions platform.

The long-term supply chain management service agreement between the two companies is expected to commence in January 2024 and will run for a minimum of five years, ending in January 2029. In addition, the MOU includes provisions for a supply credit facility.

“This partnership marks an important step forward for us at e.GO, as we work together with one of the leading and most resourceful partners in the industry to meet the increasing demand for electric vehicles and deliver on our mission of steadfast transition to a zero-emission urban mobility,” said Ali Vezvaei, Chairman of the Board at Next.e.GO Mobile SE.

About e.GO

Headquartered in Aachen, Germany, e.GO designs and manufactures battery electric vehicles for the urban environment, with focus on convenience, reliability and affordability. e.GO has developed a disruptive solution for producing its electric vehicles using proprietary technologies and low cost MicroFactories, and has vehicles already on the road today. e.GO is helping cities and their inhabitants improve the way they get around and is making clean and convenient urban mobility a reality. Visit https://www.e-go-mobile.com/ to learn more.

As announced on July 28, 2022, e.GO has entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination with Athena Consumer Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: ACAQ, ACAQ.U, ACAQ WS), a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”) that would result in e.GO becoming a publicly listed company. Completion of the proposed transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to occur in early 2023.

About Trafigura

Trafigura is a leading commodities group based in Switzerland. At the heart of global supply, Trafigura connects vital resources to power and build the world. It deploys infrastructure, market expertise and worldwide logistics network to move oil and petroleum products, metals and minerals, gas and power from where they are produced to where they are needed, forming strong relationships that make supply chains more efficient, secure and sustainable. The Trafigura Group also comprises industrial assets and operating businesses including multi-metals producer Nyrstar, fuel storage and distribution company Puma Energy, and Impala Terminals joint venture. The Group employs over 12,000 people and is active in 156 countries.

Important Information about the Business Combination and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed business combination (the “Business Combination”) between Athena Consumer Acquisition Corp. (“Athena”) and Next.e.GO Mobile SE (“e.GO”), Next.e.GO B.V., a wholly-owned subsidiary of e.GO (“TopCo”) intends to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) a registration statement on Form F-4 (the “Registration Statement”), which will include a preliminary prospectus and preliminary proxy statement. This communication is not a substitute for the Registration Statement, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus or any other document that Athena will send to its stockholders in connection with the Business Combination. Investors and security holders of Athena are advised to read, when available, the proxy statement/prospectus in connection with Athena’s solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of stockholders to be held to approve the Business Combination (and related matters) because the proxy statement/prospectus will contain important information about the Business Combination and the parties to the Business Combination. Athena will mail the definitive proxy statement/final prospectus and other relevant documents to its stockholders as of a record date to be established for voting on the Business Combination. Stockholders will also be able to obtain copies of the proxy statement/prospectus, without charge, once available, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to: 442 5th Avenue, New York, NY, 10018.

Participants in the Solicitation

Athena, e.GO, TopCo and their respective directors, executive officers, other members of management, and employees, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of Athena’s stockholders in connection with the Business Combination. Investors and security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names and interests in the Business Combination of Athena’s directors and officers in Athena’s filings with the SEC, and such information and names of e.GO’s directors and executive officers will also be in the Registration Statement to be filed with the SEC by TopCo, which will include the proxy statement of Athena for the Business Combination.

Forward Looking Statements

This communication includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target”, “may”, “intend”, “predict”, “should”, “would”, “predict”, “potential”, “seem”, “future”, “outlook” or other similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions) that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Athena, e.GO, and TopCo’s expectations with respect to future performance and anticipated financial impacts of the Business Combination, the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the Business Combination, the level of redemptions by Athena’s public stockholders, the timing of the completion of the Business Combination and the use of the cash proceeds therefrom. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified herein, and on the current expectations of Athena, e.GO, and TopCo’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ from assumptions, and such differences may be material. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Athena, e.GO, and TopCo.

These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including: (i) changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; (ii) the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the proposed Business Combination, including the risk that any required regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed Business Combination or that the approval of the stockholders of Athena or e.GO is not obtained; (iii) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Business Combination; (iv) risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to e.GO; (v) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Athena and/or e.GO following the announcement of the Business Combination; (vi) future global, regional or local economic and market conditions; (vii) the development, effects and enforcement of laws and regulations; (viii) e.GO’s ability to grow and achieve its business objectives; (ix) the effects of competition on e.GO’s future business; (x) the amount of redemption requests made by Athena’s public stockholders; (xi) the ability of Athena or the combined company to issue equity or equity-linked securities in the future; (xii) the ability of e.GO and Athena to raise interim financing in connection with the Business Combination, including to secure an e.GO IP-backed note; (xiii) the outcome of any potential litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries; (xiv) the risk that the proposed Business Combination disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation, (xv) costs related to the Business Combination, (xvi) the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic and (xvi) those factors discussed below under the heading “Risk Factors” and in the documents filed, or to be filed, by Athena and Topco with the SEC. Additional risks related to e.GO’s business include, but are not limited to: the market’s willingness to adopt electric vehicles; volatility in demand for vehicles; e.GO’s dependence on the proceeds from the contemplated Business Combination and other external financing to continue its operations; significant challenges as a relatively new entrant in the automotive industry; e.GO’s ability to control capital expenditures and costs; cost increases or disruptions in supply of raw materials, semiconductor chips or other components; breaches in data security; e.GO’s ability to establish, maintain and strengthen its brand; e.GO’s minimal experience in servicing and repairing vehicles; product recalls; failure of joint-venture partners to meet their contractual commitments; unfavorable changes to the regulatory environment; risks and uncertainties arising from the acquisition of e.GO’s predecessor business and assets following the opening of insolvency proceedings over the predecessor’s assets in July 2020; and e.GO’s ability to protect its intellectual property. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements.

There may be additional risks that neither e.GO nor Athena presently know or that e.GO and Athena currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect e.GO’s and Athena’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this communication. e.GO and Athena anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause e.GO’s and Athena’s assessments to change. However, while e.GO and Athena may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, e.GO and Athena specifically disclaim any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing e.GO’s and Athena’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act, or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereof.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230228005112/en/

Next.e.GO Mobile SE

Public Relations

Lilienthalstraße 1

52068 Aachen

T +49 241 51030 166

presse@e-go-mobile.com



For Investors:

Caldwell Bailey

ICR, Inc.

eGOIR@icrinc.com



For Media:

Dan Brennan

ICR, Inc.

eGOPR@icrinc.com

Source: Next.e.GO Mobile SE

FAQ

What is the purpose of the MOU between e.GO and Trafigura?

The MOU aims to establish a long-term supply chain management agreement focused on the supply of aluminum and battery metals, enhancing e.GO's supply chain reliability.

When will the supply chain solution become operational for e.GO?

The supply chain solution is expected to be operational starting in January 2024.

How long will the partnership between e.GO and Trafigura last?

The agreement is set to last for a minimum of five years, until January 2029.

What metals will Trafigura supply to e.GO?

Trafigura will supply 100% of e.GO's requirements for transition and battery metals including lithium, cobalt, and copper.

What are the implications of the partnership for e.GO's growth strategy?

This partnership is expected to significantly enhance e.GO's ability to pursue its decentralized growth strategy.