Sono and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Transport Europe strengthen partnership with integrated solar solution for electric reefer trailers

Rhea-AI Summary

Sono Group N.V. (NASDAQ: SSM) and its subsidiary Sono Solar have strengthened their partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Transport Europe (MTTE) to develop an integrated solar solution for electric trailer refrigeration units (eTRUs). The collaboration combines MTTE's TEF1500 eTRU and battery pack with Sono Solar's photovoltaic modules and intelligent charge controller.

The innovative system aims to extend battery autonomy, reduce diesel consumption, and lower CO₂ emissions in temperature-controlled logistics. A demonstration trailer is now available for fleet trials and will be showcased at NUFAM Karlsruhe from September 25-28, 2025. This partnership advancement aligns with Sono Group's capital-light, partner-driven strategy following its recent uplisting.

The solution addresses growing European fleet demands for sustainable refrigeration while maintaining cooling performance.

Positive

• Strategic partnership with established industry leader MTTE strengthens market position
• Immediate availability of demonstration trailer for customer trials indicates product readiness
• Solution addresses growing European market demand for sustainable refrigeration
• Potential for expansion into additional vehicle classes including light commercial vehicles

Negative

• Company faces ongoing liquidity constraints as mentioned in forward-looking statements
• Success depends on meeting conditions precedent in Securities Purchase Agreement with Yorkville
• Additional funding required beyond Yorkville investment for business development

Insights

Clean Technology Analyst

Sono Solar's partnership with Mitsubishi for solar-powered refrigerated trailers targets growing demand for sustainable cold-chain solutions while advancing Sono's commercial strategy.

This partnership represents a meaningful advancement in Sono Group's commercial execution strategy. The integration of Sono Solar's photovoltaic technology with MTTE's electric trailer refrigeration units (eTRUs) addresses a specific market need in the European refrigerated transport sector, where regulatory pressure and operating costs are driving electrification.

The solution's value proposition is multi-layered: extending battery autonomy, reducing diesel consumption, lowering CO₂ emissions, and improving total cost of ownership for fleet operators. This addresses both environmental compliance requirements and economic concerns for transport companies.

From a business development perspective, this partnership demonstrates three key strengths in Sono's approach:

• Execution of their capital-light, partner-driven strategy by leveraging MTTE's established market presence
• Progression from concept to commercially available product with a demonstration unit ready for trials
• Potential for expanding the technology to additional vehicle classes, indicating scalability

The announcement's timing alongside the NUFAM trade show provides immediate market visibility, while the mention of Sono's recent uplisting contextualizes this development within their broader corporate strategy.

For investors, this partnership validates Sono's pivot to a B2B solar integration model following earlier challenges with their consumer vehicle program. By focusing on commercial vehicle applications with clear ROI potential, Sono is targeting markets where solar integration solves tangible operational problems rather than merely serving as a sustainability credential.

Subsidiary Sono Solar and MTTE unveil a fully integrated solar-powered system for eTRUs on semi-trailers; first demo trailer available for fleet trials and public showcase at NUFAM Karlsruhe, September 25–28, 2025

Munich, Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sono Group N.V. (Nasdaq: SSM) (hereafter referred to as “Sono” or the “Company”, parent company to Sono Motors GmbH, hereafter referred to as “SonoSolar” or “Subsidiary”), the solar technology company, today announced a new milestone in its commercial rollout: subsidiary Sono Solar and long-standing customer MTTE (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries – Thermal Transport Europe) are presenting one of the first fully integrated solar solutions for electric and hybrid trailer refrigeration units (eTRUs) in the European market. The integration pairs MTTE’s TEF1500 eTRU and battery pack with Sono Solar’s high-efficiency photovoltaic modules and intelligent charge controller, delivering continuous solar charging to extend battery autonomy, cut diesel use, and reduce CO₂ emissions in temperature-controlled logistics.

The solution targets a clear and growing need among European fleets for lower-emission, lower-cost refrigeration. By harvesting on-vehicle solar energy throughout the duty cycle, operators can reduce fuel consumption and idling, improve total cost of ownership, and support compliance with tightening environmental regulations without compromising cooling performance.

“We’re excited to elevate our collaboration with a renowned partner like MTTE,” said Jan Schiermeister, Managing Director of Sono Solar. “Together we can offer one of the first truly integrated solar solutions for trailer refrigeration in Europe, backed by MTTE’s strong engineering expertise and service network.”

“We clearly see the future of transport refrigeration in electrically driven cooling units with solar integrated on the vehicle roof,” added Björn Reckhorn, Managing Director of MTTE. “With Sono Solar, we’re taking the quality and scale of solar integration for refrigerated fleets to the next level.”

A fully equipped semi-trailer featuring the integrated system is available immediately for customer trials. Interested carriers, cold-chain operators, and fleet owners can contact Sono Solar or MTTE to discuss pilot deployments. Building on this integration, the partners are evaluating extensions to additional vehicle classes, including light commercial vehicles.

The new system will be on display at NUFAM in Karlsruhe from September 25–28, 2025, where both MTTE and Sono Solar will present the technology to customers and industry stakeholders. For Sono Group, this announcement underscores continued commercial progress with a long-term customer and advances the Company’s capital-light, partner-driven strategy following its recent uplisting aimed at scaling proven solar solutions across high-need commercial vehicle segments.

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ABOUT Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Transport Europe GmbH (MTTE)

Founded in Osnabrück in 2018, MTTE set out with the goal of bringing environmentally friendly and service-friendly transport refrigeration systems to the market for a quieter and more efficient cold chain. MTTE is a joint venture between Mitsubishi and refrigeration unit specialist HEIFO, which has been the general importer of Japanese Mitsubishi refrigeration systems since 1998. MTTE is managed by managing directors Björn Reckhorn, Hiroyuki Otake, and Hiroshi Shiraishi. Under the new brand name PRECISO, Mitsubishi has been bundling all fully electric transport refrigeration systems since 2022. The Japanese manufacturer is consistently pursuing the electrification of its refrigeration systems and is continuously expanding its fully electric portfolio.

ABOUT SONO GROUP N.V.

Sono Group N.V. (Nasdaq: SSM) and its wholly owned subsidiary Sono Motors GmbH, operating under the brand name SonoSolar, are on a pioneering mission to accelerate the revolution of mobility by making every commercial vehicle solar. Our disruptive solar technology has been developed to enable seamless integration into all types of commercial vehicles to reduce the impact of CO2 emissions and pave the way for climate-friendly mobility. For more information about Sono Group N.V., Sono Motors, and their solar solutions, visit sonogroupnv.com and sonomotors.com. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, BlueSky, Truth Social, and X.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The words "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "estimate", "aim", "forecast", "project", "target", “will” and similar expressions (or their negative) identify certain of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are statements regarding the intentions, beliefs, or current expectations of the Company and its subsidiary Sono Motors GmbH (together, the “companies”). Forward-looking statements involve inherent known and unknown risks, uncertainties and contingencies because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future and could cause the companies’ actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, risks, uncertainties and assumptions with respect to: the Company’s ability to satisfy the conditions precedent set forth in its recent securities purchase agreement (“Securities Purchase Agreement”) and exchange agreement (“Exchange Agreement”) entered into with YA II PN, Ltd. (“Yorkville”); the timing of closing the transactions contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreement and the Exchange Agreement; the impact of the transactions contemplated by the Exchange Agreement and Securities Purchase Agreement on the Company’s operating results; our ability to maintain relationships with creditors, suppliers, service providers, customers, employees and other third parties in light of the performance and credit risks associated with our constrained liquidity position and capital structure; our ability to comply with Nasdaq continuing standards; our ability to achieve our stated goals; our strategies, plan, objectives and goals, including, among others, the successful implementation and management of the pivot of our business to exclusively retrofitting and integrating our solar technology onto third party vehicles; our ability to raise the additional funding required beyond the investment from Yorkville to further develop and commercialize our solar technology and business as well as to continue as a going concern. For additional information concerning some of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could affect our forward-looking statements, please refer to our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on our website at ir.sonomotors.com. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond our ability to control or estimate precisely, such as the actions of courts, regulatory authorities and other factors. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.

CONTACT SONO GROUP N.V.

Press: press@sonomotors.com | ir.sonomotors.com/news-events

Investors: ir@sonomotors.com | ir.sonomotors.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sonogroupnv

FAQ

What is the new partnership between Sono Group and MTTE for electric trailer refrigeration?

Sono Solar and MTTE have developed an integrated solar solution that combines MTTE's TEF1500 eTRU and battery pack with Sono Solar's photovoltaic modules and intelligent charge controller for electric trailer refrigeration units.

How does Sono's solar technology benefit refrigerated transport fleets?

The technology extends battery autonomy, reduces diesel consumption and CO₂ emissions, improves total cost of ownership, and helps comply with environmental regulations while maintaining cooling performance.

When and where will Sono Group's new solar-powered eTRU system be showcased?

The system will be displayed at NUFAM in Karlsruhe from September 25-28, 2025, where both MTTE and Sono Solar will present the technology to customers and industry stakeholders.

What are the expansion plans for Sono Group's solar technology?

The company is evaluating extensions of the solar integration technology to additional vehicle classes, including light commercial vehicles, beyond the current semi-trailer application.

What financial challenges does Sono Group (NASDAQ: SSM) currently face?

Sono Group requires additional funding beyond their Yorkville investment for business development, faces liquidity constraints, and needs to satisfy conditions in their Securities Purchase Agreement to maintain operations.