EX-2.1 2 f20f2021ex2-1_ezgotech.htm DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

Exhibit 2.1

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

 

We are a British Virgin Islands company limited by shares and our affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association and the BVI Act (each as amended or modified from time to time).

 

As provided in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, subject to the BVI Act, we have full capacity to carry on or undertake any business or activity, do any act or enter into any transaction, and, for such purposes, full rights, powers and privileges. Our registered office is c/o Maples Corporate Services (BVI) Limited, P.O. Box 173, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

 

We have adopted amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorize the issuance of up to 100,000,000 ordinary shares of par value US$0.001 each and up to 10,000 preferred shares of no par value (the “Preferred Shares”).

 

All options, regardless of grant dates, will entitle holders to an equivalent number of ordinary shares once the vesting and exercising conditions are met.

 

Our ordinary shares have listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “EZGO.”

 

Ordinary Shares

 

General. The maximum number of shares we are authorized to issue is 100,000,000 ordinary shares, with a par value of $0.001 each and 10,000 Preferred Shares of no par value. Holders of ordinary shares have the same rights. All of our outstanding ordinary shares are fully paid and non-assessable. To the extent they are issued, certificates representing the ordinary shares are issued in registered form.

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide for pre-emptive rights.

 

Dividends. The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors. Our amended and restated articles of association provide that dividends may be declared and paid at such time, and in such an amount, as the directors determine subject to their being satisfied that the Company will meet the statutory solvency test immediately after the dividend. Holders of ordinary shares will be entitled to the same amount of dividends, if declared.

 

Voting Rights. In respect of all matters subject to a shareholders’ vote, each ordinary share is entitled to one vote for each ordinary share registered in his or her name on our register of members. Holders of ordinary shares shall at all times vote together on all resolutions submitted to a vote of the members. Voting at any meeting of shareholders is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by the chairman of such meeting or any one shareholder.

 

A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of the holders of at least one-half of all voting power of our shares in issue at the date of the meeting present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative. Shareholders’ meetings may be held annually. Each general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, shall be an extraordinary general meeting. Extraordinary general meetings may be called by a majority of our board of directors or our chairman or upon a requisition of shareholders holding at the date of deposit of the requisition not less than 30% of the aggregate voting power of our Company. Advance notice of at least 10 days is required for the convening of our annual general meeting and other general meetings.

 

Transfer of Ordinary Shares. Under the BVI Act the transfer of a registered share which is not listed on a recognized exchange is by a written instrument of transfer signed by the transferor and containing the name of the transferee. However, the instrument must also be signed by the transferee if registration would impose a liability on the transferee to the Company. The instrument of transfer must be sent to the Company for registration. The transfer of a registered share is effective when the name of the transferee is entered in the register of members. The entry of the name of a person in the Company’s register of members is prima facie evidence that legal title in the share vests in that person.

 

 

 

 

The procedure is different for the transfer of shares that are listed on a recognized exchange. Such shares may be transferred without the need for a written instrument of transfer if the transfer is carried out in accordance with the laws, rules, procedures and other requirements applicable to shares listed on the recognized exchange and subject to the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.

 

Liquidation. On a liquidation, on winding up or other return of assets of the Company to shareholders (other than on conversion, redemption or purchase of ordinary shares), assets available for distribution among the holders of ordinary shares shall be distributed among the holders of the ordinary shares on a pro rata basis.

 

Calls on Ordinary Shares and Forfeiture of Ordinary Shares. Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their ordinary shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 clear days prior to the specified time of payment. The ordinary shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid are subject to forfeiture.

 

Redemption of Ordinary Shares. The BVI Act and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association permit us to purchase our own shares with the prior written consent of the relevant shareholders, a resolution of directors and in accordance with applicable law.

 

Variation of Rights of Shares. Other than with respect to the issuance of the Preferred Shares in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, all or any of the rights attached to any class of shares may, subject to the provisions of the BVI Act, be varied without the consent of the holders of the issued shares of that class where such variation is considered by the board of directors not to have a material adverse effect upon such rights; otherwise, any such variation shall be made only with the consent in writing of the holders of a majority of the issued shares of that class, or with the sanction of a resolution passed by a simple majority of the votes cast at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with such existing class of shares.

 

Inspection of Books and Records.

 

A member of the Company is entitled, on giving written notice to the Company, to inspect (a) the memorandum and articles of association of the Company; (b) the register of members; (c) the register of directors; and (d) the minutes of meetings and resolutions of members and of those classes of members of which he is a member; and to make copies of or take extracts from the documents and records. Subject to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the directors may, if they are satisfied that it would be contrary to the Company’s interests to allow a member to inspect any document, or part of a document, specified in (b), (c) and (d) above, refuse to permit the member to inspect the document or limit the inspection of the document, including limiting the making of copies or the taking of extracts from the records.

 

Where a company fails or refuses to permit a member to inspect a document or permits a member to inspect a document subject to limitations, that member may apply to the BVI High Court for an order that he should be permitted to inspect the document or to inspect the document without limitation.

 

A company is required to keep at the office of its registered agent: its memorandum and articles of association of the company; the register of members or a copy of the register of members; the register of directors or a copy of the register of directors; and copies of all notices and other documents filed by the company in the previous ten years.

 

Issuance of Additional Shares. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorize our board of directors to issue additional ordinary shares from time to time as our board of directors shall determine.

 

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Register of Members

 

Under the BVI Act we must keep a register of members and there should be entered therein:

 

  the names and addresses of our members, a statement of the number and class of shares held by each member;

 

  the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and

 

  the date on which any person ceased to be a member.

 

Under the BVI Act, the register of members of our Company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (that is, the register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted) and a member registered in the register of members is deemed as a matter of the BVI Act to have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register of members.

 

If the name of any person is incorrectly entered in or omitted from our register of members, or if there is any default or unnecessary delay in entering on the register the fact of any person having ceased to be a member of our Company, the person or member aggrieved (or any member of our Company or our Company itself) may apply to the High Court of the British Virgin Islands for an order that the register be rectified, and the Court may either refuse such application or it may, if satisfied of the justice of the case, make an order for the rectification of the register.

 

 Representative’s Warrants

 

In January 2021, EZGO issued representative’s warrants to purchase an aggregate of 322,000 ordinary shares to underwriters in its initial public offering (“IPO”). Such warrants are exercisable by the warrant holders, from January 25, 2021 to 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, January 27, 2026, to purchase, in whole or in part, up to 322,000 shares of EZGO’s ordinary shares at a price of $4.40 per share and have cashless exercise options, subject to standard anti-dilution adjustments for share sub-divisions and similar transactions. Such warrants have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a 180-day lock-up pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1). Except as permitted by Rule 5110(g)(1), the underwriters (or permitted assignees under the Rule) will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge, or hypothecate the warrants or the securities underlying the warrants, nor will any, of them engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the option or the underlying securities prior to January 25, 2021.

 

In July 2021, the representative of several underwriters of EZGO’s IPO exercised the partial warrant and purchased a total of 224,289 ordinary shares of the Company with no cash in consideration.

 

Investor Warrants

 

In June 2021, EZGO closed the previous registered direct offering (the “previous registered direct offering”) of 2,564,102 units of its securities, with each unit consisting of (i) one ordinary share, par value $0.001 per share, and (ii) one warrant to purchase 0.7 ordinary shares. The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the investor warrants that are offered in connection with the previous registered direct offering.

 

Duration and Exercise Price

 

The investor warrants are exercisable immediately after the date of issuance (the “Initial Exercise Date”) at an exercise price of $4.68 per share, subject to adjustments, and will expire two years after the Initial Exercise Date. The exercise price and number of ordinary shares issuable upon exercise are subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of share splits, share combinations, share dividends, recapitalizations and similar events affecting our ordinary shares. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the warrants. As to any fraction of a share which the holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the exercise price or round up to the next whole share.

 

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Exercisability

 

Voluntary Exercise by Holder. The warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part, by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full for the number of ordinary shares purchased upon such exercise (except in the case of a cashless exercise as discussed below). A holder (together with its affiliates) may not exercise any portion of such holder’s warrants to the extent that the holder would own more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding ordinary shares immediately after exercise, except that upon at least 61 days’ prior notice from the holder to us, the holder may increase the amount of ownership of outstanding ordinary shares after exercising the holder’s warrants up to 9.99% of the number of ordinary shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the warrants.

 

Mandatory Exercise. If at any time after the issuance date of the warrants, the VWAP (as such term is defined in the warrants) of the ordinary shares is equal to or greater than $11.50 per ordinary share, subject to certain adjustments, for a period of ten (10) consecutive trading days, and no Equity Conditions Failure (as such term is defined in the warrants) has occurred, we have the right to provide written notice (the “Mandatory Exercise Notice”) to all, but not less than all of the holders of the warrants, that we are requiring the exercise of each of their warrants for a number of shares equal to the lesser of (i) the aggregate number of ordinary shares then issuable upon exercise of each such warrant, subject to any applicable beneficial ownership limitations, and (ii) 30% of the aggregate share volume of the ordinary shares (as reported by Bloomberg, LP) during the three consecutive trading days immediately prior to the applicable Mandatory Exercise Notice Date (as such term is defined in the warrants). A Mandatory Exercise Notice, which can only be made by us no more than once during any period of 20 trading days, shall be irrevocable once delivered. Any mandatory exercise must be pro rata among all holders of the warrants.

 

Cashless Exercise

 

If at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the ordinary shares underlying the warrants, warrants may be exercised on a “cashless exercise” basis pursuant to which the holder will receive upon such exercise a net number of ordinary shares determined according to a formula set forth in the warrants.

 

Fundamental Transactions

 

In the event of any fundamental transaction, as described in the warrants and generally including any merger with or into another entity, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, tender offer or exchange offer, or reclassification of our ordinary shares, then upon any subsequent exercise of a warrant, the holder will have the right to receive as alternative consideration, for each ordinary share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such fundamental transaction, the number of ordinary shares of the successor or acquiring corporation or of our company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration receivable upon or as a result of such transaction by a holder of the number of ordinary shares for which the warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such event.

 

Trading Market

 

There is no established trading market for the warrants, and we do not expect a market to develop. We do not intend to apply for a listing for the warrant on any securities exchange or other nationally recognized trading system. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the warrants will be limited.

 

Rights as a Shareholder

 

Except as otherwise provided in the warrants or by virtue of the holders’ ownership of ordinary shares, the holders of warrants will not have the rights or privileges of holders of our ordinary shares, including any voting rights, until such warrant holders exercise their warrants, except that, subject to certain exceptions, holders of the warrants may participate in dividends or other distributions of the Company’s assets to holders of ordinary shares as if they held the number of ordinary shares acquirable upon complete exercise of their warrants.

 

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Anti-Dilution Adjustments

 

In addition, to customary anti-dilution adjustments for recapitalization events such as stock splits and payment of dividends in ordinary shares, subject to certain exceptions, if and whenever on or after the Initial Exercise Date, the Company grants, issues or sells, (or enters into any agreement to grant, issue or sell), or is deemed to have issued or sold, any ordinary shares (including the issuance or sale of ordinary shares owned or held by or for the account of the Company, but excluding any exempt issuances issued or sold or deemed to have been issued or sold) for a consideration per share (the “New Issuance Price”) less than a price equal to the exercise price in effect immediately prior to such issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale (the foregoing a “Dilutive Issuance”), then immediately after such Dilutive Issuance, the exercise price then in effect shall be reduced to an amount equal to the New Issuance Price, subject to applicable provisions determining the adjusted exercise price and the New Issuance Price.

 

Placement Agent Warrants

 

In connection with the previous registered direct offering, EZGO issued to FT Global Capital, Inc., the exclusive placement agent of the previous registered direct offering (the “Placement Agent”) two-year placement agent warrants to purchase a number of common shares equal to 5.0% of the aggregate number of units sold in the previous registered direct offering, at an exercise price equal to $5.85 per share. The placement agent warrants shall have the same terms as the warrants issued to the investors in the previous registered direct offering, and shall have an exercise price equal to the lesser of the price per unit in the previous registered direct offering or the exercise price of the warrants issued to investors in the offering, subject to any limitations imposed by FINRA Rule 5110.

 

Except as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110, the Placement Agent (or permitted assignees under FINRA Rule 5110) will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge, or hypothecate the placement agent warrants or the ordinary shares underlying the warrants, nor will any of them engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of placement agent warrants or the underlying ordinary shares for a period of 180 days from the commencement of sales.

 

Differences in Corporate Law

 

The BVI Act differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the significant differences between the provisions of the BVI Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the State of Delaware.

 

Mergers and Similar Arrangements. Under the BVI Act two or more companies, each a “constituent company,” may merge or consolidate. A merger involves the merging of two or more companies into one of the constituent companies (to the merger) with one constituent company continuing in existence to become the surviving company post-merger. A consolidation involves two or more companies consolidating into a new company.

 

A merger is effective on the date that the articles of merger (as described below) are registered by the Registrar of Corporate Affairs in the BVI, or on such later date, not exceeding 30 days from the date of registration as is stated in the articles of merger.

 

The BVI Act provides that any member of the Company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his shares upon dissenting from a merger, unless the Company is the surviving company of the merger and the member continues to hold the same or similar shares. The following is a summary of the position under the BVI Act.

 

A dissenter is in most circumstances required to give to the Company written objection to the merger, which must include a statement that the dissenter proposes to demand payment for his shares if the merger takes place. This written objection must be given before the meeting of members at which the merger is submitted to a vote, or at the meeting but before the vote. However, no objection is required from a member to whom the Company did not give notice of the meeting of members or where the proposed merger is authorized by written consent of the members without a meeting.

 

Within 20 days immediately following the written consent, or the meeting at which the merger was approved, the Company shall give written notice of the consent or resolution to each member who gave written objection or from whom written objection was not required, except those members who voted for, or consented in writing to, the proposed merger.

 

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A member to whom the Company was required to give notice who elects to dissent shall, within 20 days immediately following the date on which the copy of the plan of merger or an outline of the merger is given to him, give to the Company a written notice of his decision to elect to dissent, stating:

 

  (a) his name and address;

 

  (b) the number and classes of shares in respect of which he dissents (which must be all shares that he holds in the Company); and

 

  (c) a demand for payment of the fair value of his shares.

 

Upon the giving of a notice of election to dissent, the dissenter ceases to have any of the rights of a member except the right to be paid the fair value of his shares, and the right to institute proceedings to obtain relief on the ground that the action is illegal.

 

The Company shall make a written offer to each dissenter to purchase his shares at a specified price that the Company determines to be their fair value. Such offer must be given within 7 days immediately following the date of the expiration of the period within which members may give their notices of election to dissent, or within 7 days immediately following the date on which the merger is put into effect, whichever is later.

 

If the Company and the dissenter fail, within 30 days immediately following the date on which the offer is made, to agree on the price to be paid for the shares owned by the dissenter, then within 20 days:

 

  (a) the Company and the dissenter shall each designate an appraiser;

 

  (b) the two designated appraisers together shall designate an appraiser;

 

  (c) the three appraisers shall fix the fair value of the shares owned by the dissenter as of the close of business on the day prior to the date of the meeting or the date on which the resolution was passed, excluding any appreciation or depreciation directly or indirectly induced by the action or its proposal, and that value is binding on the Company and the dissenter for all purposes; and

 

  (d) the Company shall pay to the dissenter the amount in money upon the surrender by him of the certificates representing his shares, and such shares shall be cancelled.

 

Squeeze-out Provisions.

 

Members of a company holding 90% of the votes of the outstanding shares entitled to vote and members of a company holding 90% of the votes of the outstanding shares of each class of shares entitled to vote as a class, may give a written instruction to the company directing it to redeem the shares held by the remaining members.

 

Shareholders’ Suits.

 

Under the provisions of the BVI Act, the memorandum and articles of association of a company are binding as between the company and its members and between the members. In general, members are bound by the decision of the majority or special majorities as set out in the memorandum and articles of association or in the BVI Act. As for voting, the usual rule is that with respect to normal commercial matters members may act from self-interest when exercising the right to vote attached to their shares.

 

If the majority members have infringed a minority member’s rights, the minority may seek to enforce its rights either by derivative action or by personal action. A derivative action concerns the infringement of the company’s rights where the wrongdoers are in control of the company and are preventing it from taking action, whereas a personal action concerns the infringement of a right that is personal to the particular member concerned.

 

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The BVI Act provides for a series of remedies available to members. Where a company incorporated under the BVI Act conducts some activity which breaches the BVI Act or the company’s memorandum and articles of association, the BVI High Court can issue a restraining or compliance order. Members can now also bring derivative, personal and Representative Actions under certain circumstances.

 

The traditional English basis for members’ remedies have also been incorporated into the BVI Act: where a member of a company considers that the affairs of the company have been, are being or are likely to be conducted in a manner likely to be oppressive, unfairly discriminating or unfairly prejudicial to him, he may apply to the BVI High Court for an order on such conduct.

 

Any member of a company may apply to the BVI High Court for the appointment of a liquidator for the company and the Court may appoint a liquidator for the company if it is of the opinion that it is just and equitable to do so.

 

The BVI Act provides that any member of a company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his shares upon dissenting from any of the following:

 

  (a) a merger;

 

  (b) a consolidation;

 

  (c) any sale, transfer, lease, exchange or other disposition of more than 50 per cent in value of the assets or business of the company if not made in the usual or regular course of the business carried on by the company but not including (i) a disposition pursuant to an order of the court having jurisdiction in the matter; (ii) a disposition for money on terms requiring all or substantially all net proceeds to be distributed to the members in accordance with their respective interest within one year after the date of disposition; or (iii) a transfer pursuant to the power of the directors to transfer assets for the protection thereof;

 

  (d) a redemption of 10 per cent, or fewer, of the issued shares of the company required by the holders of 90 percent, or more, of the shares of the company pursuant to the terms of the BVI Act; and

 

  (e) an arrangement, if permitted by the BVI High Court.

 

Generally any other claims against a company by its members must be based on the general laws of contract or tort applicable in the BVI or their individual rights as members as established by the company’s memorandum and articles of association.

 

The BVI Act provides that if a company or a director of a company engages in, proposes to engage in or has engaged in, conduct that contravenes the BVI Act or the memorandum and articles of association of the company, the BVI High Court may, on the application of a member or a director of the company, make an order directing the company or director to comply with, or restraining the company or director from engaging in conduct that contravenes the BVI Act or the memorandum and articles of association.

 

Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability. BVI law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the BVI High Court to be contrary to public policy (e.g. for purporting to provide indemnification against the consequences of committing a crime). An indemnity will be void and of no effect and will not apply to a person unless the person acted honestly and in good faith and in what he believed to be in the best interests of the company and, in the case of criminal proceedings, the person had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association permit indemnification of officers and directors for losses, damages, costs and expenses incurred in their capacities as such unless such losses or damages arise from dishonesty or fraud of such directors or officers. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation. In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.

 

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Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

Directors’ Fiduciary Duties. Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director acts in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He must not use his corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interest of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, the director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction, and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.

 

Under BVI law, the directors owe fiduciary duties at both common law and under statute, including a statutory duty to act honestly, in good faith and with a view to our best interests. When exercising powers or performing duties as a director, the director is required to exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonable director would exercise in the circumstances taking into account, without limitation, the nature of the company, the nature of the decision and the position of the director and the nature of the responsibilities undertaken by him. In exercising the powers of a director, the directors must exercise their powers for a proper purpose and shall not act or agree to the company acting in a manner that contravenes our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or the BVI Act.

 

In certain circumstances, a shareholder has the right to seek various remedies against the company in the event the directors are in breach of their duties under the BVI Act. Pursuant to Section 184B of the BVI Act, if a company or director of a company engages in, proposes to engage in or has engaged in, conduct that contravenes the provisions of the BVI Act or the memorandum or articles of association of the company, the courts of the British Virgin Islands may, on application of a shareholder or director of the company, make an order directing the company or director to comply with, or restraining the company or director from engaging in conduct that contravenes the BVI Act or the memorandum or articles. Furthermore, pursuant to Section 184I(1) of the BVI Act, a shareholder of a company who considers that the affairs of the company have been, are being or likely to be, conducted in a manner that is, or any acts of the company have been, or are likely to be oppressive, unfairly discriminatory, or unfairly prejudicial to him in that capacity, may apply to the courts of the British Virgin Islands for an order which, inter alia, can require the company or any other person to pay compensation to the shareholders.

 

Shareholder Action by Written Consent. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by amendment to its certificate of incorporation. Although British Virgin Islands law may permit shareholder actions by written consent, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that shareholders may not approve corporate matters by way of a written resolution.

 

Shareholder Proposals. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings.

 

British Virgin Islands law and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that shareholders holding 30% or more of the voting rights entitled to vote on any matter for which a meeting is to be converted may request that the directors shall requisition a shareholder’s meeting. As a British Virgin Islands company, we are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.

 

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Cumulative Voting. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. There are no prohibitions in relation to cumulative voting under the laws of the British Virgin Islands but our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.

 

Removal of Directors. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, directors may be removed with or without cause, by a resolution of our shareholders, or with cause by a resolution of the directors.

 

Transactions with Interested Shareholders. The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or a group who or which owns or owned 15% or more of the target’s outstanding voting share within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors.

 

British Virgin Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we are not afforded the same statutory protections in the British Virgin Islands as we would be offered by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although British Virgin Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions must be entered into bona fide in the best interests of the company and not with the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders. See also “-- Shareholders’ Suits” above. We have adopted a code of business conduct and ethics which requires employees to fully disclose any situations that could reasonably be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest, and sets forth relevant restrictions and procedures when a conflict of interest arises to ensure the best interest of the Company.

 

Dissolution; Winding up. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board.

 

Under BVI law, the liquidation of a company may be a voluntary solvent liquidation or an insolvent liquidation under the Insolvency Act. Where a company has been struck off the Register of Companies under the BVI Act continuously for a period of 7 years it is dissolved with effect from the last day of that period.

 

Voluntary Liquidation

 

If the liquidation is a solvent liquidation, the provisions of the BVI Act governs the liquidation. A company may only be liquidated under the BVI Act as a solvent liquidation if it has no liabilities or it is able to pay its debts as they fall due and the value of its assets exceeds its liabilities. Subject to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of a company, a liquidator may be appointed by a resolution of directors or resolution of members but if the directors have commenced liquidation by a resolution of directors the members must approve the liquidation plan by a resolution of members save in limited circumstances.

 

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A liquidator is appointed for the purpose of collecting in and realizing the assets of a company and distributing proceeds to creditors.

 

We expect that in the event of a voluntary liquidation of the Company, after payment of the liquidation costs and any sums then due to creditors, the liquidator would distribute our remaining assets on a pari passu basis.

 

Liquidation under the Insolvency Act

 

The Insolvency Act governs an insolvent liquidation. Pursuant to the Insolvency Act, a company is insolvent if (a) it fails to comply with the requirements of a statutory demand that has not be set aside pursuant to the Insolvency Act, execution or other process issued on a judgement, decree or order of court in favor of a creditor of the company is returned wholly or partly unsatisfied or either the value of the company’s liabilities exceeds its assets or the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due. The liquidator must be either the Official Receiver in BVI or a BVI licensed insolvency practitioner. An individual resident outside the BVI may be appointed to act as liquidator jointly with a BVI licensed insolvency practitioner or the Official Receiver. The members of the company may appoint an insolvency practitioner as liquidator of the company or the court may appoint an Official Receiver or an eligible insolvency practitioner. The application to the court can be made by one or more of the following: (a) the company (b) a creditor (c) a member (d), the supervisor of a creditors’ arrangement in respect of the company, the Financial Services Commission and the Attorney General in the BVI.

 

The court may appoint a liquidator if:

 

  (a) the company is insolvent;

 

  (b) the court is of the opinion that it is just and equitable that a liquidator should be appointed; or

 

  (c) the court is of the opinion that it is in the public interest for a liquidator to be appointed.

 

An application under (a) above by a member may only be made with leave of the court, which shall not be granted unless the court is satisfied that there is prima facie case that the company is insolvent. An application under (c) above may only be made by the Financial Services Commission or the Attorney General and they may only make an application under (c) above if the company concerned is, or at any time has been, a regulated person (i.e. a person that holds a prescribed financial services license) or the company is carrying on, or at any time has carried on, unlicensed financial services business.

 

Order of Preferential Payments upon Liquidation

 

Upon the insolvent liquidation of a company, the assets of a company shall be applied in accordance with the following priorities: (a) in paying, in priority to all other claims, the costs and expenses properly incurred in the liquidation in accordance with the prescribed priority; (b) after payment of the costs and expenses of the liquidation, in paying the preferential claims admitted by the liquidator (wages and salary, amounts to the BVI Social Security Board, pension contributions, government taxes) — preferential claims rank equally between themselves and, if the assets of the company are insufficient to meet the claims in full, they shall be paid ratably; (c) after the payment of preferential claims, in paying all other claims admitted by the liquidator, including those of non-secured creditors — the claims of non-secured creditors of the Company shall rank equally among themselves and if the assets of the company are insufficient to meet the claims in full, such non-secured creditors shall be paid ratably; (d) after paying all admitted claims, paying any interest payable under the BVI Insolvency Act; and finally (e) any surplus assets remaining after payment of the costs, expenses and claims above shall be distributed to the members in accordance with their rights and interests in the Company. Part VIII of the Insolvency Act provides for various applications which may be made by a liquidator to set aside transactions which have unfairly diminished the assets which are available to creditors.

 

The appointment of a liquidator over the assets of a company does not affect the right of a secured creditor to take possession of and realize or otherwise deal with assets of the company over which that creditor has a security interest. Accordingly, a secured creditor may enforce its security directly without recourse to the liquidator, in priority to the order of payments described above. However, so far as the assets of a company in liquidation available for payment of the claims of unsecured creditors are insufficient to pay the costs and expenses of the liquidation and the preferential creditors, those costs, expenses and claims have priority over the claims of charges in respect of assets that are subject to a floating charge created by a company and shall be paid accordingly out of those assets.

 

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Voidable Transactions

 

In the event of the insolvency of a company, there are four types of voidable transaction provided for in the Insolvency Act:

 

  (a) Unfair Preferences: Under section 245 of the Insolvency Act a transaction entered into by a company, if it is entered into within the hardening period at a time when the company is insolvent, or it causes the company to become insolvent (an “insolvency transaction”), and which has the effect of putting the creditor into a position which, in the event of the company going into insolvent liquidation, will be better than the position it would have been in if the transaction had not been entered into, will be deemed an unfair preference. A transaction is not an unfair preference if the transaction took place in the ordinary course of business. It should be noted that this provision applies regardless of whether the payment or transfer is made for value or at an undervalue.

 

  (b) Undervalue Transactions: Under section 246 of the Insolvency Act the making of a gift or the entering into of a transaction on terms that the company is to receive no consideration, or where the value of the consideration for the transaction, in money or money’s worth, is significantly less than the value, in money or money’s worth, of the consideration provided by the company will (if it is an insolvency transaction entered into within the hardening period) be deemed an undervalue transaction. A company does not enter into a transaction at an undervalue if it is entered into in good faith and for the purposes of its business and, at the time the transaction was entered into, there were reasonable grounds for believing the transaction would benefit the company.

 

  (c) Voidable Floating Charges: Under section 247 of the Insolvency Act a floating charge created by a company is voidable if it is an insolvency transaction created within the hardening period. A floating charge is not voidable to the extent that it secures: (i) money advanced or paid to the company, or at its direction, at the same time as, or after, the creation of the charge; (ii) the amount of any liability of the company discharged or reduced at the same time as, or after, the creation of the charge; (iii) the value of assets sold or supplied, or services supplied, to the company at the same time as, or after, the creation of the charge; and (iv) the interest, if any, payable on the amount referred to in (i) to (iii) pursuant to any agreement under which the money was advanced or paid, the liability was discharged or reduced, the assets were sold or supplied or the services were supplied.

 

  (d) Extortionate Credit Transactions: Under section 248 of the Insolvency Act an insolvency transaction entered into by a company for, or involving the provision of, credit to the company, may be regarded as an extortionate credit transaction if, having regard to the risk accepted by the person providing the credit, the terms of the transaction are or were such to require grossly exorbitant payments to be made in respect of the provision of the credit, or the transaction otherwise grossly contravenes ordinary principles of fair trading and such transaction takes place within the hardening period.

 

The “hardening period” (known in the Insolvency Act as the “vulnerability period”) in respect of each voidable transaction provision set out above is as follows:

 

  (a) for the purposes of sections 245, 246 and 247 of the Insolvency Act the period differs depending on whether the person(s) that the transaction is entered into with, or the preference is given to, are “connected persons” of the company within the meaning of the Insolvency Act:

 

  (i) in the case of “connected persons” the “hardening period” is the period beginning two years prior to the “onset of insolvency” and ending on the appointment of a liquidator of the company;

 

  (ii) in the case of any other person, the “hardening period” is the period beginning six months prior to the “onset of insolvency” and ending on the appointment of a liquidator of the company; and

 

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  (b) for the purposes of section 248 of the Insolvency Act the “hardening period” is the period beginning five years prior to the “onset of insolvency” and ending on the appointment of a liquidator of the company regardless of whether the person(s) that the transaction is entered into with is a connected person.

 

The onset of insolvency for these purposes is the date on which an application for the appointment of a liquidator was filed (if the liquidator was appointed by the court) or the date of the appointment of the liquidator (where the liquidator was appointed by the members).

 

A conveyance made by a person with intent to defraud creditors is voidable at the instance of the person thereby prejudiced. There is no requirement that the relevant transaction was entered into at a time when one party was insolvent or became insolvent as a result of the transaction, and there is no requirement that the transferring party subsequently went into liquidation. However, no conveyance entered into for valuable consideration and in good faith to a person who did not have notice of the intention to defraud may be impugned.

 

The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so. Under the BVI Act and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, our company may be dissolved, liquidated or wound up by a resolution of our shareholders.

 

Variation of Rights of Shares. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under BVI law and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, all or any of the rights attached to any class of shares may, subject to the provisions of the BVI Act, be varied without the consent of the holders of the issued shares of that class where such variation is considered by the board of directors not to have a material adverse effect upon such rights; otherwise, any such variation shall be made only with the consent in writing of the holders of a majority of the issued shares of that class, or with the sanction of a resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with such existing class of shares.

 

Amendment of Governing Documents. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. As permitted by British Virgin Islands law, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may be amended with a resolution of our shareholders or, by resolutions of directors, except that the directors of the company shall not have the power to amend our amended and restated memorandum (a) to restrict the rights or powers of the members to amend the memorandum or articles; (b) to change the percentage of members required to pass a resolution to amend the memorandum or articles; or (c) in circumstances where the memorandum or articles cannot be amended by the members.

 

Rights of Non-resident or Foreign Shareholders. There are no limitations imposed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.

 

History of Securities Issuances

 

In January 2019, we issued 50,000 ordinary shares to JKC Investment Holding Co. Ltd., for a purchase price of $50,000 or $1 per share. Di Wu, our executive director, is the sole shareholder of JKC Investment Holding Co. Ltd.

 

In December 2019, JKC Investment Holding Co. Ltd. transferred 43,183 ordinary shares to our current shareholders for $1 per share.

 

In September 2020, we effected a reorganization of our ordinary shares by way of a sub-division and subsequent surrender of certain of our ordinary shares. As a result of the share reorganization, there are 7,800,000 ordinary shares outstanding as of the date hereof.

 

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In January 2021, we completed our firm commitment IPO of 2,800,000 ordinary shares at a public offering price of US$4.00 per share, for total gross proceeds of US$11.2 million, before deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and other related expenses.

 

In January 2021, the representative of several underwriters of our IPO exercised the partial over-allotment option and purchased an additional 238,500 ordinary shares of the Company at the IPO price of US$4.00 per share.

 

In June 2021, we closed the previous registered direct offering of 2,564,102 units of our securities, with each unit consisting of (i) one ordinary share, and (ii) one warrant to purchase 0.7 ordinary shares. We sold the units at a price of $4.68 per unit. We received gross proceeds from the previous registered direct offering, before deducting estimated offering expenses payable by us, of approximately $12,000,000.

 

In July 2021, the representative of several underwriters of our IPO exercised the partial warrant and purchased a total of 224,289 ordinary shares of the Company with no cash in consideration.

 

Listing

 

Our ordinary shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “EZGO.”

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

The transfer agent and registrar for our securities is VStock Transfer, LLC. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York 11598.

 

 

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