E.GO Mobile
| Company type | Societas Europaea |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founder | Günther Schuh |
| Defunct | May 2024 |
| Fate | Liquidation after insolvency |
| Headquarters | Aachen , Germany |
Area served | Global |
Key people | Günther Schuh (founder) |
| Products | Electric vehicles (e.GO Life, e.GO Mover, e.GO Life Sport, e.GO Life Cross) |
Number of employees | 320 (at insolvency filing) (2024) |
Next.e.GO Mobile SE was a German electric vehicle producer headquartered in Aachen, established in 2015 under the name e.GO Mobile AG by Günther Schuh, a professor at RWTH Aachen. Schuh had earlier co-founded the electric van manufacturer StreetScooter in 2010, which was acquired by Deutsche Post AG in 2014. The firm intended to go public via a merger with Athena SPACs on the NYSE. Nevertheless, Next.e.GO Mobile SE declared insolvency in March 2024 and halted all operations, with the liquidation process concluding in May 2024.
History
The electric four-seater urban vehicle prototype, e.GO Life, was introduced at the CeBIT exhibition in Hannover in March 2017. By May 2017, reservations opened, accumulating 3,200 pre-orders by April 2018. The manufacturing plant for e.GO Life commenced operations in July 2018, designed to produce between 10,000 and 30,000 vehicles annually. Deliveries began in May 2019, with more than 500 units of the First Edition supplied by the first quarter of 2020.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions and financial difficulties led e.GO Mobile AG to initiate self-administered insolvency proceedings in April 2020. This restructuring concluded successfully in September 2020 when nd Industrial Investment B.V. acquired a majority stake in the newly established next.e.GO Mobile SE. On September 1, 2020, next.e.GO Mobile SE took over all operational activities, with plans to resume production at the start of 2021.
In December 2020, next.e.GO Mobile SE partnered with Enterprise Greece to develop an electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Greece as part of its global expansion strategy, aiming for completion within two years.
On July 10, 2021, an investment contract was finalized to establish a production facility in Bulgaria with technical support from RWTH Aachen University. Located in Lovech and owned by local entrepreneur Kiril Domuschiev, this plant targets an annual output exceeding 30,000 units of various e.GO Life variants such as Life 70, Life Sport, and Life Cross. Bulgaria was chosen over three other regional candidates due to swift negotiations and its expanding automotive supplier industry. The majority of components will be sourced locally from Bulgarian branches of ETEM (aluminium body parts), Robert Bosch GmbH (software solutions), and Yazaki (electrical wiring systems).
Final bankruptcy and liquidation
In March 2024, the company once again filed for bankruptcy protection. On May 29, 2024, it was confirmed that liquidation would proceed. The insolvency trustee stated that business activities would end since no investor could be secured to support operations until production of the new e.wave X model commenced. At insolvency filing, the workforce numbered approximately 320 employees; some have departed since then, while around 200 staff members are expected to be laid off shortly. By June 2024, all manufacturing ceased, assets at the Aachen facility were sold through auction, and all personnel were released.
e.GO Life
The initial generation of this electric four-seat city car has been manufactured since April 2019. It offers a WLTP range of about 140 km powered by a 21.5 kWh battery pack. Its construction includes an aluminium space frame chassis combined with a thermoplastic outer shell that improves both robustness and environmental sustainability. Production started in 2019 with first deliveries occurring in May of that year.
e.GO Mover / Lux
The electric urban bus accommodating up to 15 passengers was created through a collaboration between e.GO MOOVE GmbH, previously a subsidiary of Next.e.GO Mobile SE, and ZF Friedrichshafen. This vehicle supports automated driving capabilities ranging from level 0 to level 4, with manufacturing commencing in Aachen in 2021. The premium edition, known as the e.GO LUX, was first introduced at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Towards the end of 2020, ZF transferred its ownership stake in e.GO MOOVE GmbH to Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, located in Bergisch Gladbach.
e.GO Life Sport
The e.GO Life Sport represents the performance-oriented version of the e.GO Life, initially revealed as a concept at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. It boasts an athletic design, a sport-tuned suspension, improved power output, a high-end interior finish, and a panoramic glass roof. The near-final production model was planned for presentation at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, which was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key specifications include an 80 kW motor, a 30 kWh battery pack, 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, and sport-style seating. Details regarding pricing and production schedules have yet to be disclosed.
e.GO Life Cross
Introduced alongside the Life Sport in 2020, the e.GO Life Cross is classified as a City Utility Vehicle (CUV) derived from the standard e.GO Life platform but features larger tires, modified suspension components, and additional exterior bodywork. Its dimensions are 1.66 meters in height, 1.82 meters in width, and 3.41 meters in length—approximately seven centimeters longer than the original model. The Cross is equipped with a 72 kW powertrain and an upgraded battery system; however, pricing information and production dates have not been announced.