4. Deconsolidation Due to Loss of Control

Gain from Deconsolidation and Extinguishment of Debt

At the close of February 2023, Sono Group announced the decision to restructure the business model to focus exclusively on retrofitting and integrating solar technology into third-party vehicles going forward. At the same time, Sono Group discontinued the Sion passenger car program with immediate effect and terminated approximately 250 employees. Management ultimately concluded that Sono Motors was over-indebted and faced impending illiquidity (drohende Zahlungsunfähigkeit), with Sono N.V., in turn, becoming over-indebted and also facing impending illiquidity. Consequently, management decided to apply for the opening of self-administration proceedings with respect to Sono N.V. and Sono Motors with the goal of sustainably restructuring the business.

On May 15, 2023, Sono N.V. applied to the insolvency court of Munich, Germany (the “Court”), to permit the opening of a self-administration proceeding (Eigenverwaltung) with respect to Sono Group N.V. pursuant to Section 270 (b) of the German Insolvency Code (Insolvenzordnung). On the same day, Sono Motors GmbH applied to the same court to permit the opening of self-administration proceeding in the form of a protective shield proceeding (Schutzschirmverfahren) with respect to Sono Motors GmbH pursuant Section 270 (d) of the German Insolvency Code. Sono Group N.V. conducts its business through its subsidiary Sono Motors GmbH, and is jointly referred to as “the Company”.

Self-administration proceedings are debtor-in-possession type proceedings under German insolvency law, which are available to businesses in financial distress and typically aim to preserve the business and the entity that are the subject of the proceedings. In these proceedings, Management retains control and operation of the subject company’s business under the supervision of a custodian, who is initially appointed on a preliminary basis (vorläufiger Sachwalter) and is primarily responsible for monitoring the subject company’s compliance with German insolvency law.

On May 17 and May 19, 2023, respectively, the Court admitted the opening of Self-Administration Proceedings with respect to the Company and the Subsidiary on a preliminary basis (the “Preliminary Self-Administration Proceedings”). The Court also appointed preliminary custodians for each of the Company and the Subsidiary in their respective Preliminary Self-Administration Proceedings. On September 1, 2023, the Court opened the Self-Administration Proceedings with respect to the Subsidiary (the “Opened GmbH Self-Administration Proceedings”).

As a result, considering all facts and conditions, management concluded that Sono N.V. lost control over Sono Motors upon opening of insolvency proceedings in self-administration (protective shield proceedings, May 19, 2023). Sono N.V. therefore deconsolidated Sono Motors as of May 19, 2023 in accordance with ASU 810-10-55.

Upon loss of control, Sono N.V. derecognized the assets and liabilities of Sono Motors from the consolidated statement of financial position, recognized its remaining investment retained in Sono Motors at its fair value and subsequently accounted for the investment under the equity method of accounting pursuant to ASU 810-10-55.

In connection with the deconsolidation, the Company recognized no fair value of the subsidiary at the date of deconsolidation, derecognized the carrying value of assets and liabilities transferred, and recorded a gain for the excess of liabilities extinguished over the carrying value of assets derecognized. Additionally, the Company recognized a provision for potential creditor claims during the Self-Administration Proceedings. The provision was charged against the deconsolidation gain. The net deconsolidation gain and reversal of the parental guarantee provision for the year ended December 31, 2023 resulted in a net loss of  EUR21.8 million.

Reconsolidation of Sono Motors GmbH

On February 29, 2024, the Subsidiary exited its Self-Administration Proceedings via its plan under the German Insolvency Code, which set out how the Subsidiary intended to restructure its debt and procure the inflow of new cash, including pursuant to a funding commitment from Yorkville. As a result, all outstanding debts between the Company and the Subsidiary were extinguished, and the Subsidiary was reconsolidated into our consolidated financial statements effective March 1, 2024.

The reconsolidation resulted in a net gain of approximately EUR62.7 million, reflecting the revaluation of the Subsidiary’s net assets and the extinguishment of parental guarantees and related liabilities. This gain is recorded in our operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and represents the financial impact of regaining control over the Subsidiary.

On March 1, 2024, the Company was deemed to have regained control of Sono Motors. The Company recorded the fair value of net assets consolidated at March 1, 2024. The following table reflects the March 1, 2024 Balance Sheet of Sono Motors: