EZGO EZGO Technologies Ltd

ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION

Contractual Arrangements and Corporate Structure 

EZGO was incorporated in the BVI on January 24, 2019. EZGO’s wholly owned subsidiary, EZGO HK, formerly known as Hong Kong JKC Group Co., Limited, was incorporated in Hong Kong on February 13, 2019. EZGO HK, in turn, holds all of the capital stock of Changzhou EZGO, formerly known as Changzhou Jiekai New Energy Technology Company, which was incorporated in China on June 12, 2019 and Changzhou Langyi Electronic Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Changzhou Langyi”), which was incorporated in China on August 6, 2021. Changzhou EZGO has obtained the contractual rights to determine the most significant economic activities of the VIE and also receives the majority of the economic   benefits of the VIE,  through a series of contractual arrangements  (the “VIE Agreements”). See “– Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and Its Shareholders.” EZGO conducts its business in the PRC primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries, Changzhou Hengmao Power Battery Technology Co., Ltd. (“Hengmao Power Battery”), Jiangsu Cenbird E-Motorcycle Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Jiangsu Cenbird”), Changzhou Yizhiying IoT Technologies Co., Ltd., (“Yizhiying IoT”), Tianjin Dilang Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Tianjin Dilang”) and Tianjin Jiahao Bicycle Co, Co. Ltd. (“Tianjin Jiahao”) since EZGO, through contractual arrangements with the VIE, obtained the rights to determine the most significant economic activities and also receives the majority of the economic benefits of the VIE  beginning in November 2019.

As a result of such series of contractual arrangements, EZGO and its subsidiaries become the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes and the VIE as a PRC consolidated entity under U.S. GAAP. We consolidate the financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Neither we nor EZGO’s investors own any equity ownership in, direct foreign investment in, or control through such ownership/investment of the VIE. These contractual arrangements have not been tested in a court of law in the PRC. As a result, investors in EZGO’s Ordinary Shares are not purchasing an equity interest in the VIE or its subsidiaries but instead are purchasing an equity interest in EZGO, the BVI holding company.

The diagram below shows our corporate structure as of the date of this Amendment, including the VIE and its subsidiaries. However, investors are cautioned that the enforceability of such VIE Agreements has not been tested in a court of law. EZGO conducts operations in China primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, and EZGO does not conduct any business on its own. The VIE structure is used to provide investors with contractual exposure to foreign investment in China-based companies where Chinese law prohibits or restricts direct foreign investment in the operating companies. Due to PRC legal restrictions on foreign ownership in internet-based businesses, we do not have any equity ownership of the VIE, instead we receive the economic benefits of the VIE’s business operations through certain contractual arrangements. As a result of such series of contractual arrangements, EZGO and its subsidiaries become the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes and the VIE as a PRC consolidated entity under U.S. GAAP. We consolidate the financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Neither we nor EZGO’s investors own any equity ownership in, direct foreign investment in, or control through such ownership/investment of the VIE. Investors are purchasing an interest in EZGO, the BVI holding company.

Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and Its Shareholders 

Due to PRC legal restrictions on foreign ownership in internet-based businesses, neither we nor our subsidiaries own any equity interest in the VIE. Instead, we receive the economic benefits of the VIE’s business operations through the VIE Agreements. Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and its equity holders entered into the VIE Agreements on November 8, 2019. The VIE Agreements are designed to provide Changzhou EZGO with contractual rights, and obligations, including certain control rights and the rights in the assets, property and revenue of the VIE, to (i) determine the most significant economic activities of the VIE, (ii) receive the majority of the economic benefits of the VIE, most importantly the ability to consolidate the financial statements of the VIE with the financial statements of our holding company, EZGO under U.S. GAAP, for which we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes, and (iii) have an exclusive option to purchase or designate any third party to purchase all or part of the equity interests in and assets of the VIE when and to the extent permitted by PRC law. However, The VIE Agreements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over the VIE and its subsidiaries, and the enforceability of the VIE Agreements has not been tested in a court of law, and the PRC government may take actions to exert more oversight and control over offerings by China based issuers conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in such companies, or could disallow the VIE Agreements, which would likely result in a material change in EZGO’s operations and/or a material change in the value of the securities we have registered for sale, including that it could cause the value of EZGO’s securities could to significantly decline or become worthless. Specifically, the legal environment in the PRC is not as developed as in other jurisdictions, such as the United States. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit our ability, as a BVI holding company, to enforce these contractual arrangements and doing so may be quite costly. There are also substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules regarding the status of the rights of Changzhou EZGO with respect to its contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders. It is uncertain whether any new PRC laws or regulations relating to variable interest entity structure will be adopted or if adopted, what they would provide. If we or the VIE are found to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, or fail to obtain or maintain any of the required permits or approvals, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities would have broad discretion to take action in dealing with such violations or failures. In addition, the enforceability of the various contracts described above by our company against the VIE is dependent upon the shareholders of the VIE. If the shareholders of the VIE fail to perform their obligations under the contractual arrangements, we could be unable to enforce the contractual arrangements that enable us to consolidate the VIE’s operations and financial results in our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP as the primary beneficiary. If this happens, we would need to deconsolidate the VIE. The majority of our assets, including the necessary licenses to conduct business in China are held by the VIE and its subsidiaries and a significant part of our revenues are generated by the VIE and its subsidiaries. An event that results in the deconsolidation of the VIE would have a material effect on EZGO’s operations and result in the value of its securities diminishing substantially or even become worthless. For a detailed description of the risks associated with our corporate structure, please refer to risks disclosed under “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure” on page 19.

As a result of our direct ownership in Changzhou EZGO and the contractual arrangements with the VIE, we are regarded as the primary beneficiary of Jiangsu EZGO, and we treat the VIE as our consolidated variable interest entity under U.S. GAAP, which generally refers to an entity in which we do not have any equity interests but whose financial results are consolidated into our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP because we have a controlling financial interest in, and thus are the primary beneficiary of, that entity. We have consolidated the financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Each of the VIE Agreements is described in detail below and each of which is currently in full force and effect:

Exclusive Management Consulting and Technical Service Agreement

Pursuant to the Exclusive Management Consulting and Technical Service Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, between Changzhou EZGO and the VIE (the “VIE Exclusive Management Agreement”), the VIE agrees to engage Changzhou EZGO as its exclusive provider of management consulting, technical support, intellectual property license and relevant services, including all services within the VIE’s business scope and decided by Changzhou EZGO from time to time as necessary. The VIE pays to Changzhou EZGO service fees within three months after each fiscal year end. The service fees are set at 95% (or a percentage adjusted by Changzhou EZGO in its sole discretion) of the after-tax profit after the deficit of the prior fiscal year is covered and the statutory common reserve is extracted. Changzhou EZGO exclusively owns any intellectual property arising from the performance of the VIE Exclusive Management Agreement. The VIE Exclusive Management Agreement is effective for twenty years unless earlier terminated as set forth in the agreement or other written agreements entered into by the parties thereto. The VIE Exclusive Management Agreement shall be extended automatically at the end of its term, until Changzhou EZGO’s business term or the VIE’s business term expires, unless otherwise notified by Changzhou EZGO in writing. During the term of the VIE Exclusive Management Agreement, the VIE may not terminate the VIE Exclusive Management Agreement except in the case of Changzhou EZGO’s gross negligence or fraud, or VIE Exclusive Management Agreement or applicable PRC laws provide otherwise. Changzhou EZGO may terminate the VIE Exclusive Management Agreement by 30-day written notice to the VIE at any time.

Equity Pledge Agreement

Pursuant to the Equity Pledge Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, among Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and the equity holders of the VIE (the “VIE Equity Pledge Agreement”), the equity holders of the VIE have pledged 100% of their equity interests in the VIE to Changzhou EZGO to guarantee performance of all obligations under the VIE Exclusive Management Agreement, the VIE Loan Agreement (defined hereafter), the VIE Exclusive Call Option Agreement (defined hereafter) and the VIE Proxy Agreement (defined hereafter). If any event of default as provided for therein occurs, Changzhou EZGO, as the pledgee, will be entitled to dispose of the pledged equity interests according to applicable PRC laws. On November 28, 2019, Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and all its equity holders completed the registration of the equity pledge with the relevant office of State Administration of Market Regulation (“SAMR”, formerly known as State Administration for Industry and Commerce, or the SAIC) in accordance with the PRC Property Rights Law. 

Exclusive Call Option Agreement

Pursuant to the Exclusive Call Option Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, among Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and the equity holders of the VIE (the “VIE Exclusive Call Option Agreement”), each of the equity holders of the VIE has irrevocably granted Changzhou EZGO an exclusive option to purchase, or to designate other persons to purchase, to the extent permitted by applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations, all of the equity interests and assets in the VIE from its equity holders. The equity holders of the VIE agree that, without the prior written consent of Changzhou EZGO, they will not dispose of their equity interests in the VIE or create or allow any encumbrance on their equity interests. The purchase price for the equity interest is to be the minimum price permitted by applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations, or the amount that the equity holders actually pay to the VIE regarding the equity, whichever is lower. The purchase price for the assets is to be the minimum price permitted by applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations, or the net book value of the assets, whichever is lower.    The VIE Exclusive Call Option Agreement expires when all the equity interests or all the assets  are transferred pursuant to the agreement.

Proxy Agreement

Pursuant to the Proxy Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, among Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and each of equity holders of the VIE (the “VIE Proxy Agreement”), each of the equity holders irrevocably authorizes Changzhou EZGO to exercise his or her rights as an equity holder of the VIE, including the right to attend equity holders meetings, to exercise voting rights and to transfer all or a part of his or her equity interests therein pursuant to the VIE Exclusive Call Option Agreement. During the term of the VIE Proxy Agreement, the VIE and all its equity holders may not terminate the VIE Proxy Agreement except when the VIE Proxy Agreement or applicable PRC laws provide otherwise.

Loan Agreement

Pursuant to the Loan Agreement, dated November 8, 2019 (the “VIE Loan Agreement”), Changzhou EZGO agrees to provide the VIE with loans of different amounts at an annual interest rate of 24% according to the VIE’s needs from time to time. The term of each loan is 20 years, which can be extended with the written consent of both parties. During the term of the loan or the extended term of the loan, the VIE may not prepay any loan without the written consent of Changzhou EZGO while in case of certain circumstances, the VIE must repay the loan in advance upon Changzhou EZGO’s written request.

Spousal Consent Letter

The spouses of individual equity holders of the VIE have each signed a spousal consent letter. Under the spousal consent letter, the signing spouse unconditionally and irrevocably has agreed to the execution by his or her spouse of the VIE Equity Pledge Agreement, the VIE Exclusive Call Option Agreement and the VIE Proxy Agreement, and that his or her spouse may perform, amend or terminate such agreements without his or her consent. In addition, in the event that the spouse obtains any equity interest in the VIE held by his or her spouse for any reason, he or she agrees to be bound by and sign any legal documents substantially similar to the contractual arrangements entered into by his or her spouse, as may be amended from time to time.

Through the current contractual arrangements, we have established a contractual relationship with all equity holders of the VIE. Pursuant to these agreements, all equity holders of the VIE have irrevocably authorized Changzhou EZGO to exercise voting rights and all other rights as the equity holder and pledged all of his or her equity interests in the VIE to Changzhou EZGO as collateral to secure performance of all of his or her obligations under these agreements. However, the equity holders of the VIE may have potential conflicts of interest with us and may breach, or cause the VIE to breach, or refuse to renew, the existing contractual arrangements we have with them and the VIE. Any failure by the VIE or equity holders of the VIE to perform his or her obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition. See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure” on page 19.

Based on the advice of our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, that:

However, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules, and the VIE Agreements have not been tested in a court of law. Accordingly, we may incur substantial costs to enforce the terms of the VIE Agreements, and the PRC regulatory authorities may in the future take a view that is contrary to or otherwise different from the above opinion of our PRC legal counsel.

VIE Financial Information

Set forth below is selected Consolidated Statements of Operations and cash flows for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2019, 2020 and 2021, and selected balance sheet information as of September 30, 2019, 2020 and 2021 showing financial information for parent company EZGO Technologies Ltd., non-VIE subsidiaries, the WFOE (as defined below), the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries, eliminating entries and consolidated information (dollars in thousands). In the tables below, the column headings correspond to the following entities in the organizational diagram on page 6. See also VIE and consolidated financial information in Note 1 of our financial statements.

Transfer of Cash through our Organization

EZGO can transfer cash to its subsidiaries through capital contributions and/or intercompany loans, and EZGO’s subsidiaries can transfer cash to EZGO through dividends or other distributions and/or intercompany loans. Additionally, EZGO’s subsidiaries can transfer cash to the VIE through loans, and the VIE can transfer cash to EZGO as service fees under the VIE Agreements and/or through loans. We intend to settle amounts owed under the VIE Agreements.

Prior to the completion of our initial public offering in January 2021, the sources of funds of the VIE and its subsidiaries primarily consisted of shareholders capital injection and cash generated from operations.

After the completion of our initial public offering, our holding company, EZGO, transferred funds through a shareholder loan to EZGO HK. EZGO HK transferred funds through an increase in the registered capital to Changzhou EZGO. EZGO and Changzhou EZGO provided loans to the VIE, subject to statutory limits and restrictions.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, EZGO provided an interest-free loan of US$15,853,200 to EZGO HK; EZGO also paid US$3,017,337 on behalf of the VIE for the acquisition of Tianjin Jiahao and insurance fees; and EZGO HK injected registered capital of US$15,843,000 into Changzhou EZGO. Changzhou EZGO provided loans of US$13,323,711 to the VIE and had US$1,914,828 of payables due to the VIE. The details of loans provided by Changzhou EZGO are shown below:

Foresaid transactions including capital injection and loans, would be eliminated upon consolidation. 

We maintain bank accounts in China, including cash in Renminbi in the amount of RMB29,583,341 and cash in USD in the amount of US$7,831 as of September 30, 2021. Funds are transferred between EZGO, its subsidiaries, and the VIE for their daily operation purposes. The transfer of funds between our PRC subsidiaries and the VIE are subject to the Provisions of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in the Trial of Private Lending Cases (2020 Revision, the “Provisions on Private Lending Cases”), which was implemented on August 20, 2020 to regulate the financing activities between natural persons, legal persons and unincorporated organizations. The Provisions on Private Lending Cases set forth that private lending contracts will be upheld as invalid under the circumstance that (i) the lender swindles loans from financial institutions for relending; (ii) the lender relends the funds obtained by means of a loan from another profit-making legal person, raising funds from its employees, illegally taking deposits from the public; (iii) the lender who has not obtained the lending qualification according to the law lends money to any unspecified object of the society for the purpose of making profits; (iv) the lender lends funds to a borrower when the lender knows or should have known that the borrower intended to use the borrowed funds for illegal or criminal purposes; (v) the lending is in violation of public orders or good morals; or (vi) the lending is in violation of mandatory provisions of laws or administrative regulations. Due to the circumstances aforementioned do not exist in the PRC subsidiaries’ operations, our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, is of the view that the Provisions on Private Lending Cases does not prohibit using cash generated from one subsidiary to fund another subsidiary’s operations. We have not been notified of any other restriction which could limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to transfer cash between subsidiaries. As of the date of this Amendment, we have not installed any cash management policies that dictate how funds are transferred between us, our subsidiaries, and the VIE. 

There is no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions on the ability of us, our subsidiaries and the VIE to transfer cash. Most of our cash is in Renminbi, and the PRC government could prevent the cash maintained from leaving the PRC, could restrict deployment of the cash into the business of the VIE and its subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends. For details regarding the restrictions on our ability to transfer cash between us, our subsidiaries and the VIE, see “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC government could prevent the cash maintained from leaving the PRC, restrict deployment of the cash into the business of the VIE and its subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends to U.S. investors, which could materially adversely affect EZGO’s operations” on page 42. We currently do not have cash management policies that dictate how funds are transferred between us, our subsidiaries, and the VIE.

Dividends and Other Distributions

EZGO is a holding company incorporated in the BVI with no material operations of its own and does not generate any revenue. It currently conducts its business in China through the VIE and its subsidiaries, with substantially all of its operations and assets in China. We are permitted under PRC laws and regulations to provide funding to our wholly foreign-owned enterprise, Changzhou EZGO (“WFOE”), only through loans or capital contributions, and to the VIE only through loans, and only if we satisfy the applicable government registration and approval requirements. See “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China - PRC regulation on loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control in currency conversion may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds from our initial public offering or follow-on offering to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business” on page 41.

Under our current corporate structure, we rely on dividend payments from our PRC subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders or to service any debt we may incur. Our subsidiaries and VIE in the PRC generate and retain cash generated from operating activities and re-invest it in their business, respectively. If any of our PRC subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends to us.

Our PRC subsidiaries are permitted to pay dividends only out of their retained earnings. However, each of our PRC subsidiaries is required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, after making up for previous year’s accumulated losses, if any, to fund certain statutory reserves, until the aggregate amount of such funds reaches 50% of its registered capital. This portion of our PRC subsidiaries’ respective net assets are prohibited from being distributed to their shareholders as dividends. However, neither any of our subsidiaries nor the VIE has paid any dividends or made any other distributions to our holding company or any U.S. investors as of the date of this Amendment. See also “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China - Our PRC subsidiaries are subject to restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us, which may restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements, and any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make remittance to pay dividends to us could limit our ability to access cash generated by the operations of those entities” on page 44.

Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, currently EZGO’s PRC subsidiaries may purchase foreign currency for settlement of “current account transactions,” including payment of dividends to EZGO without the approval of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, the relevant PRC governmental authorities may limit or eliminate our ability to purchase foreign currencies in the future for current account transactions. Since a significant amount of our PRC revenue is denominated in Renminbi, any existing and future restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit our ability to utilize revenue generated in Renminbi to fund EZGO’s business activities outside of the PRC, make investments, service any debt we may incur outside of China or pay dividends or make distributions in foreign currencies to EZGO’s shareholders, including holders of EZGO’s Ordinary Shares. In addition, any transfer of funds by EZGO to its PRC subsidiaries, either as a shareholder loan or as an increase in the registered capital, is subject to a series of procedural requirements imposed by SAFE, SAMR, MOFCOM, or their local counterparts. This may hinder or delay EZGO’s deployment of cash into its subsidiaries’ and the VIE’s business, which could result in a material and adverse effect on EZGO’s operations. See risks disclosed under “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors— Risks Related to Doing Business in China – Restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit our ability to utilize our PRC revenue effectively.” on page 40, “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China – PRC regulations relating to foreign exchange registration of overseas investment by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into these subsidiaries, limit PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us.” on pages 40 and 41, and “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China – The PRC government could prevent the cash maintained from leaving the PRC, restrict deployment of the cash into the business of the VIE and its subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends to U.S. investors, which could materially adversely affect EZGO’s operations.” on page 42.

As of September 30, 2021, none of our subsidiaries have ever paid any dividends or made any other distributions to us or their respective holding companies nor have we or any of our subsidiaries ever paid dividends or made any other distributions to U.S. investors. We intend to retain all of our available funds and any future earnings and cash proceeds from overseas financing activities to fund the development and growth of our business. As a result, we do not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

In addition, the PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the Renminbi into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of China. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currencies to satisfy our foreign currency demands, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders. See “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China - Restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit our ability to utilize our PRC revenue effectively” on page 40.

A 10% PRC withholding tax is applicable to dividends payable to investors that are non-resident enterprises. Any gain realized on the transfer of ordinary shares by such investors is also subject to PRC tax at a current rate of 10% which in the case of dividends will be withheld at source if such gain is regarded as income derived from sources within the PRC. See also “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China- There are significant uncertainties under the PRC EIT Law relating to the withholding tax liabilities of our PRC subsidiaries, and dividends payable by our PRC subsidiaries to our offshore subsidiaries may not qualify to enjoy certain treaty benefits” on page 43.

Recent PCAOB Developments 

The PCAOB is currently unable to conduct inspections on accounting firms in the PRC or Hong Kong without the approval of the relevant government authorities. The auditor and its audit work in the PRC or Hong Kong may not be inspected fully by the PCAOB. Inspections of other auditors conducted by the PCAOB outside China have at times identified deficiencies in those auditors’ audit procedures and quality control procedures, which may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit quality. The lack of PCAOB inspections of audit work undertaken in China or Hong Kong prevents the PCAOB from regularly evaluating the PRC auditor’s audits and its quality control procedures. As a result, investor may be deprived of the benefits of such inspection.

The documentation we may be required to submit to the SEC proving certain beneficial ownership requirements and establishing that we are not owned or controlled by a foreign government in the event that we use a foreign public accounting firm not subject to inspection by the PCAOB or where the PCAOB is unable to completely inspect or investigate our accounting practices or financial statements because of a position taken by an authority in the foreign jurisdiction could be onerous and time consuming to prepare. The HFCA Act mandates the SEC to identify issuers of SEC-registered securities whose audited financial reports are prepared by an accounting firm that the PCAOB is unable to inspect due to restrictions imposed by an authority in the foreign jurisdiction where the audits are performed. If such identified issuer’s auditor cannot be inspected by the PCAOB for three consecutive years, the trading of such issuer’s securities on any U.S. national securities exchanges, as well as any over-the-counter trading in the U.S., will be prohibited.

On March 24, 2021, the SEC adopted interim final rules relating to the implementation of certain disclosure and documentation requirements of the HFCA Act. An identified issuer will be required to comply with these rules if the SEC identifies it as having a “non-inspection” year under a process to be subsequently established by the SEC.

On November 5, 2021, the SEC approved the PCAOB’s Rule 6100, Board Determinations Under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. Rule 6100 provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the HFCA Act, whether it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction.

On December 2, 2021, the SEC issued amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the HFCA Act. The rules apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in foreign jurisdictions.

On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a determination report which found that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in: (i) China, and (ii) Hong Kong, because of positions taken by PRC authorities in those jurisdictions, and the PCAOB included in the report of its determination a list of the accounting firms that are headquartered in the PRC or Hong Kong.

This report does not include our former auditors, MBP and Briggs & Veselka or our current auditor, WWC. Our auditor, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. However, the PCAOB is currently unable to conduct inspections in China without the approval of Chinese government authorities. If it is later determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate our auditor completely, investors may be deprived of the benefits of such inspection. Any audit reports not issued by auditors that are completely inspected by the PCAOB, or a lack of PCAOB inspections of audit work undertaken in China that prevents the PCAOB from regularly evaluating our auditors’ audits and their quality control procedures, could result in a lack of assurance that our financial statements and disclosures are adequate and accurate, then such lack of inspection could cause EZGO’s securities to be delisted from the stock exchange. See risks disclosed under “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors— Risks Related to Doing Business in China — EZGO’s ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PCAOB is unable to adequately inspect audit documentation located in China. The delisting of EZGO’s ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct adequate inspections deprives our shareholders with the benefits of such inspections. Furthermore, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if enacted, would amend the HFCA Act and require the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three” on page 47.

Recent Regulatory Developments in China 

Recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and made a number of public statements on the regulation of business operations in China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over China-based companies listed overseas, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement.

Among other things, the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the “M&A Rules”) and Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China promulgated by the SCNPC which became effective in 2008 (“Anti-Monopoly Law”), established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. Such regulation requires, among other things, that the SAMR be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor acquires control of a PRC domestic enterprise or a foreign company with substantial PRC operations, if certain thresholds under the Provisions of the State Council on the Standard for Declaration of Concentration of Business Operators, issued by the State Council in 2008, are triggered. Moreover, the Anti-Monopoly Law requires that transactions which involve the national security, the examination on the national security shall also be conducted according to the relevant provisions of the State. In addition, the PRC Measures for the Security Review of Foreign Investment which became effective in January 2021 require acquisitions by foreign investors of PRC companies engaged in military-related or certain other industries that are crucial to national security be subject to security review before consummation of any such acquisition.

On July 6, 2021, the relevant PRC government authorities made public the “Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law” or the “Opinions.” The Opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies. As the Opinions are recently issued, official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued yet and the interpretation of the Opinions remains unclear at this stage.   See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors – Risks Related to Doing Business in China — The M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations establish complex procedures for some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China” on page 45.

In addition, on December 28, 2021, the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version) was promulgated and became effective on February 15, 2022, which iterates that any “online platform operators” controlling personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list on a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version), further elaborates the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities, including, among others, (i) the risk of core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, and illegally used or exited the country; and (ii) the risk of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being affected, controlled, or maliciously used by foreign governments after listing abroad. Our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, is of the view as a result of: (i) EZGO is listed on the Nasdaq and does not “seek to list on any other foreign stock exchange”; (ii) we do not hold personal information on more than one million users in our business operations; and (iii) data processed in our business does not have a bearing on national security and thus may not be classified as core or important data by the authorities, we are not required to apply for a cybersecurity review under the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version).

On December 24, 2021, the CSRC released the Administrative Provisions of the State Council Regarding the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments) (the “Draft Administrative Provisions”) and the Measures for the Overseas Issuance of Securities and Listing Record-Filings by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments) (the “Draft Filing Measures,” collectively with the Draft Administrative Provisions, the “Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing”), both of which have a comment period that expired on January 23, 2022. The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing lay out the filing regulation arrangement for both direct and indirect overseas listing, and clarify the determination criteria for indirect overseas listing in overseas markets. Among other things, if an overseas listed issuer intends to implement any follow-on offering in an overseas market, it should, through its major operating entity incorporated in the PRC, submit filing materials to the CSRC within three working days after the completion of the offering. The required filing materials shall include but not be limited to: (1) filing report and relevant commitments; and (2) domestic legal opinions.

The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing, if enacted, may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to get the clearance of filing procedures under the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas List on a timely basis, or at all. For instance, if we complete any offering after the enactment of the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing, we may be required to submit additional filings. While the final version of the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listings are expected to be adopted in 2022, we believe that none of the situations that would clearly prohibit overseas offering and listing applies to us. In reaching this conclusion, we have relied on the advice of our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, provided that there is uncertainty inherent in relying on an opinion of counsel in connection with whether we are required to obtain permission from the Chinese government that is required to approve of EZGO’s operations and/or any offerings. Any failure of EZGO to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder its ability to continue to offer its securities to investors, cause significant disruption to its business operations, and severely damage its reputation, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause its securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.

According to the Notice by the General Office of the State Council of Comprehensively Implementing the List-based Management of Administrative Licensing Items (No. 2 [2022] of the General Office of the State Council)  and its attachment, the List of Administrative Licensing Items Set by Laws, Administrative Regulations, and Decisions of the State Council (2022 Edition), as of the date of this Amendment, we, our PRC subsidiaries, the VIE, and its subsidiaries have received from PRC authorities all requisite licenses, permissions or approvals needed to engage in the businesses currently conducted in China, and no permission or approval has been denied. Such licenses and permissions include, but not be limited to, business registration, pollutant discharge permit, construction planning permit, fire protection design review of construction project, and fire protection acceptance of construction project. The following table provides details on the licenses and permissions held by our PRC subsidiaries: 

As of the date of this Amendment, as advised by our PRC legal counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, none of our company, our subsidiaries, or the VIE are covered by permissions requirements from the CSRC, the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”), or any other governmental agency that is required to approve the VIE’s operations, and therefore no such permission or approval has been denied.

As of the date of this Amendment, no relevant laws or regulations in the PRC explicitly require us, our subsidiaries, or the VIE to seek approval from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities for our overseas listing or securities offering plans, nor has our company, any of our subsidiaries, or the VIE or any of its subsidiaries, received any inquiry, notice, warning or sanctions regarding any securities offering from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities. However, since these statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government are newly published and official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued, it is highly uncertain what the potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on our daily business operations, or the ability to accept foreign investments and list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange. The SCNPC or other PRC regulatory authorities may in the future promulgate laws, regulations or implementing rules that require our company, the VIE or its subsidiaries to obtain regulatory approval from Chinese authorities before offering securities in the U.S. See “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors – Risks Related to Doing Business in China- The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we conduct our business activities. The PRC government may also intervene or influence EZGO’s operations at any time, which could result in a material change in its operations and its Ordinary Shares could decline in value or become worthless” on page 35 for a discussion of these legal and operational risks and other information that should be considered before making a decision to purchase EZGO’s securities. In the event that we, our subsidiaries, or the VIE (i) do not receive or maintain any requisite permissions or approvals, (ii) inadvertently conclude that such permissions or approvals are not required, or (iii) applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change and we are required to obtain such permissions or approvals in the future, we, our subsidiaries, and the VIE may be subject to sanctions imposed by the relevant PRC regulatory authority, including fines and penalties, revocation of the licenses of the VIE and its subsidiaries, and suspension of these entities’ business, restrictions or limitations on our ability to pay dividends outside of China, regulatory orders, including injunctions requiring the VIE and its subsidiaries to cease collecting or processing data, litigation or adverse publicity, the delisting of EZGO’s securities on Nasdaq, and other forms of sanctions, which may materially and adversely affect its business, financial condition, and results of operations.

3.A. [Reserved]

3.B. Capitalization and Indebtedness

Not Applicable.

3.C. Reasons For The Offer And Use Of Proceeds

Not Applicable.

3.D. Risk Factors

Investing in EZGO’s ordinary shares is highly speculative and involves a significant degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risks as well as all other information contained in this annual report, including the matters discussed under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” before you decide to make an investment in EZGO’s ordinary shares. We are a holding company with substantial operations in China and are subject to a legal and regulatory environment that in many respects differs from the United States. The risks discussed below could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, ability to pay dividends and the trading price of EZGO’s ordinary shares. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial may also materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and ability to pay dividends, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

RISK FACTORS SUMMARY

Our business is subject to numerous risks described in the section titled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this report. The main risks set forth below and others you should consider are discussed more fully in the section entitled “Risk Factors”, which you should read in its entirety.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Risks and uncertainties related to our business and industry include, but are not limited to, the following:

Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure

Risks and uncertainties relating to our corporate structure include, but are not limited to, the following:

Risks Related to Doing Business in China

We are also subject to risks and uncertainties relating to doing business in China in general, including, but are not limited to, the following:

Risks Related to EZGO’s Ordinary Shares

In addition to the risks and uncertainties described above, we are subject to risks relating to EZGO’s ordinary shares, including, but not limited to, the following:

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

We may incur losses in the future.

We had net income of approximately $2.19 million, $0.28 million for the fiscal years ended September 30,2019 and 2020 respectively and we had net loss of approximately $3.41 million for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021. We anticipate that our operating expenses (such as sale expense, marketing expense and research and development expense), together with the increased general administrative expenses of a growing public company, will increase in the foreseeable future as we seek to maintain and continue to grow our business, attract potential customers and further enhance our product offering. These efforts may prove more expensive than we currently anticipate, and we may not succeed in increasing our revenue sufficiently to offset these higher expenses. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, we may incur net losses in the future and may be unable to achieve or maintain profitability on an interim or annual basis for the foreseeable future.

We are an early stage company of e-bicycle products and charging piles with a limited operating history. Our limited operating history in the industry may not provide an adequate basis to judge our future prospects and results of operations for this segment, and may increase the risk of your investment.

We launched our business in 2014 and started focusing on the current business of electronic bicycle (“e-bicycle”) products and charging piles in August 2019. Our limited history may not provide a meaningful basis for investors to evaluate our business, financial performance and prospects of our business. Potential customers may not be familiar with our market and may have difficulty distinguishing our products and services from those of our competitors. Convincing potential new customers of the value of our products and services is critical to increasing the volume of sales facilitated through our website and to the success of our business. If we fail to educate potential customers about the value of our products and services, if the market for our services does not develop as we expect, or if we fail to address the needs of our target market in China or elsewhere, our business and results of operations will be harmed. 

If we fail to develop and introduce new models of e-bicycle products in anticipation of market demand in a timely and cost-effective manner, our competitive position and ability to generate revenues may be materially and adversely affected.

Recently, our primary focus has been new models of e-bicycle products. As a new player in the e-bicycle industry, we face intense competition from current industry leaders. The introduction of new products is subject to risks and uncertainties. Unexpected technical, operational, logistical, regulatory, or other problems could delay or prevent the introduction of one or more new products. Moreover, we cannot assure you that any of these new products will match the quality or popularity of those developed by our competitors, and achieve widespread market acceptance or generate the desired level of income for our customers.

Meanwhile, offering new products requires us to make investments in research and development, recruit and train additional qualified workers, and increase marketing efforts. In addition, some manufactures, including the large companies in this industry, like Aima and Yadea, have developed low-end and low-cost models which are sold at approximate RMB1,000 per vehicle (without battery). Since most of the e-bicycle users are low-income workers, we may encounter difficulties with the creation of the new products and in offering new products, we may face new risks and challenges that we are not familiar with. Furthermore, we may experience difficulties in recruiting or otherwise identifying qualified workers to develop the new products. If we are unable to offer new products in a timely and cost-effective manner, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.

If we fail to adopt new technologies or adapt our e-bicycles to changing customer requirements or the industry standards, our business may be materially and adversely affected.

To remain competitive, we must continue to enhance and improve the functionality and features of our e-bicycles. The production cycle of e-bicycles from research and development stage to implementation stage takes significant time. The changes in customer requirements and preferences, frequent introductions of new products and services embodying new technologies and the emergence of new industry standards and practices, any of which could render our existing technologies and products obsolete. Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to identify, develop, acquire or license leading technologies useful in our business, and respond to technological advances and new industry standards and practices in a cost-effective and timely way. The development of e-bicycles or other proprietary technology entails significant technical and business risks. We may not be able to use new technologies effectively or adapt our projects and proprietary technologies to meet customer requirements or new industry standards. If we are unable to adapt in a cost-effective and timely manner a response to changing market conditions or customer requirements, whether for technical, legal, financial, or other reasons, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

If we are unable to manage our growth or execute our strategies effectively, our business and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

To accommodate our growth, we anticipate that we will need to implement a variety of new and upgraded operational and financial systems, procedures, and controls, including the improvement of our accounting and other internal management systems. We will also need to continue to expand, train, manage and motivate our workforce and manage our relationships with customers and third-party suppliers. All of these endeavors involve risks, and will require substantial management effort and significant additional expenditures. We may not be able to manage our growth or execute our strategies effectively, and any failure to do so may have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects.

Our marketing strategy of appealing to and growing sales to a more diversified group of users may not be successful.

Our marketing is aimed at reinforcing customer perceptions of our brand as a premium e-bicycles brand and leasing service provider. We aim to provide users with a good user experience, including by providing our users with access to a full suite of services conveniently through our online website and services stores. We cannot assure you that our services or our efforts to engage with our users using both our online and offline channels, will be successful, which could impact our revenues as well as our customer satisfaction and marketing.

To grow the business over the long term, we must be successful in selling products and services and promoting our brand experience to a broader and more users. We must also execute our diversification strategy without adversely impacting the strength of the brand with core users. Failure to successfully drive demand for our e-bicycles may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

We face intense competition in the charging pile market, and if we fail to compete effectively, we may lose market share and customers.

New and enhanced technologies may increase the competition in the charging pile industry. Increased competition may reduce our profitability, market share, customer base and brand recognition. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete successfully against current or future competitors, and such competitive pressures may have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Our products and services may experience quality problems from time to time, which could result in decreased sales, adversely affect our results of operations and harm our reputation.

Our products and services may contain design and manufacturing defects. There can be no assurance that we will be able to detect and fix all defects in the products and services we offer. Failure to do so could result in lost in revenue, significant warranty and other expenses and harm to our reputation.

Additionally, we source and purchase key components in our operations and production of e-bicycles from third-party and related party suppliers, such as tires, motors and controllers. Currently, we purchase most of the e-bicycles and components for Jiangsu Cenbird from a related party. We cannot assure you that the quality and functions of these key components supplied by suppliers will be consistent with and maintained at our high standard. Any defects or quality issues in these key components or any noncompliance incidents associated with these third-party suppliers could result in quality issues with our e-bicycles and hence compromise our brand image and results of operations.

We may be subject to product liability claims if people or properties are harmed by our products and we may be compelled to undertake product recalls or take other actions, which could adversely affect our brand image and results of operations.

We are subject to product liability claims for our products sold or rented through online and offline channels. As a result, sales and/or rentals of such products on our platform could expose us to product liability claims relating to personal injury or property damage and may require product recalls or other actions. Third-parties subject to such injury or damage may bring claims or legal proceedings against us as retailer, and manufacturer and lessor of the products. In the future, we may at various times, voluntarily or involuntarily, initiate a recall if any of our products, including any systems or parts sourced from our suppliers, prove to be defective or noncompliant with applicable laws and regulations. Such recalls, whether voluntary or involuntary or caused by systems or components engineered or manufactured by us or our suppliers, could involve significant expense and could adversely affect our brand image in our target markets, as well as our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

Our products are subject to safety and other standards and failure to satisfy such mandated standards would have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results.

All e-bicycles must comply with the safety and other standards of the market where the e-bicycles are sold. In China, e-bicycles must meet or exceed all mandated safety and other standards, including national and local standards. Under these standards, the Company is required to conduct rigorous testing and use approved materials and equipment. On April 15, 2019, the State Administration for Market Regulatory and the National Standardization Administration of China jointly promulgated the Regulation on Safety Technical Specification for Electric Bicycles and announced the new standard GB11761-2018 was effective, or the National New Standard, replacing the old standard GB17761-1999. Although we follow the regulatory requirements and have obtained the 3C certificates issued by Certification Center of Light Industry Council, our new models e-bicycles may fail to meet the National New Standard.

In addition, our batteries must comply with the national standard GB/T 36972-2018 Lithium Batteries for Electric Bicycles, which was officially released on December 28, 2018 and implemented on July 1, 2019. Lithium batteries that do not meet standard may be returned by customers, harm our reputation and subject us to additional regulatory actions. While there is no national standard for charging pile, if the customers are not satisfied with our products, the products may be returned. This could harm our relationship with our business partners and reputation in the industry. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial results.

The wide variety of payment methods that we accept subjects us to third-party payment processing-related risks.

We accept payments using a variety of methods, including bank transfers, online payments with debit cards issued by banks in China, and payment through third-party online payment platforms such as Alipay and WeChat Pay. We may be subject to fraud and other illegal activities in connection with the various payment methods we accept, including online payments. In addition, we are subject to various rules, regulations and requirements, regulatory or otherwise, governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult or impossible for us to comply. If we fail to comply with these rules or requirements, we may be subject to fines and higher transaction fees and lose our ability to accept debit card payments from our customers, process electronic funds transfers or facilitate other types of online payments, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We are dependent upon our core customers for substantial portions of the sale and rental of our e-bicycles and batteries. Any interruption in our relationship with our core customers could materially and adversely affect our growth and financial condition.

We have relied on our three major customers in sales of batteries, including Zhejiang Weichen Technology Co., Ltd., Changzhou Copidi Energy Co., Ltd., and Guangxi Anneng Technology Co., Ltd., each accounted for approximately 52%, 28% and 8%, respectively, of our sales of lithium batteries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. And we have relied on our three major customers in sales of batteries, including Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., Hehai Jinsong Bicycle Sales Shop, and Shangchi Motors Co., Ltd., each accounted for approximately 20%, 19% and 10%, respectively, of our sales of batteries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020. We have also relied on three other major customers in trading sales of lithium battery cells, including Shanghai Yutu Industry Co., Ltd, Shanghai Jialongtai Industry Co., Ltd, and Jiangyin Zhuoao International Trading Co., Ltd, each accounted for approximately 49%, 37% and 14%, respectively, of our trading sales of lithium battery cells for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

We have relied on three major customers, including Henan Young Man Industries Trade Co., Ltd., Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., and Wenzhou Longwan Yongzhong Tengbu Bicycle Firm, each accounted for approximately 17%, 11% and 9%, respectively, of our e-bicycles sales revenue for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. And we have relied on one major customer in e-bicycles sales business, Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., accounted for approximately 31% of our e-bicycles sales revenue for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, and we had immaterial revenue in such business in the same period of 2019. Any disputes with our business partners could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Our success depends on our ability to retain our core management team and other key personnel.

Our performance depends on the continued service and performance of our directors and senior management as they are expected to play an important role in guiding the implementation of our business strategies and future plans. If any of our directors or any members of our senior management were to terminate their service or employment, there can be no assurance that we would be able to find suitable replacements in a timely manner, at acceptable cost or at all. The loss of services of key personnel or the inability to identify, hire, train and retain other qualified and managerial personnel in the future may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Additionally, we rely on our research and development personnel for product development and technology innovation. If any of our key research and development personnel were to leave us, we cannot assure you that we can secure equally competent research and development personnel in a timely manner, or at all.

Competition for our employees is intense, and we may not be able to attract and retain the highly skilled employees needed to support our business.

As we continue to experience growth, we believe our success depends on the efforts and talents of our employees, including management team and financial personnel. Our future success depends on our continued ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain highly qualified and skilled employees. Competition for highly skilled personnel is extremely intense. We may not be able to hire and retain these personnel at compensation levels consistent with our existing compensation and salary structure. Many of the companies with which we compete for experienced employees have greater resources than we do and may be able to offer more attractive terms of employment.

In addition, we invest significant time and expense in training our employees, which increases their value to competitors who may seek to recruit them. If we fail to retain our employees, we could incur significant expenses in hiring and training their replacements, and the quality of our services and our ability to serve customers could diminish, resulting in a material adverse effect on our business.

We may not be able to prevent others from unauthorized use of our intellectual property, which could harm our business and competitive position.

We regard our trademarks, domain names, trade secrets, proprietary technologies and other intellectual property as critical to our business. We rely on a combination of intellectual property laws and contractual arrangements, including confidentiality agreements with our employees, partners and others, to protect our proprietary rights. As of the date of this report, we have obtained six registered patents from the PRC related to technologies used in our battery cell manufacturing, battery packing and two-stroke permanent magnet engines as well as e-bicycle manufacturing. We have also registered 14 trademarks with the China Trademark Office and have right to use one registered “Cenbird” trademark, and 12 copyright registrations with the PRC. See “Item 4B. Business Overview – Intellectual Property.”

It is often difficult to register, maintain and enforce intellectual property rights in China. Statutory laws and regulations are subject to judicial interpretation and enforcement and may not be applied consistently due to the lack of clear guidance on statutory interpretation. Accordingly, we may not be able to effectively protect our intellectual property rights or to enforce our contractual rights in China. Policing any unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult and costly and the steps we have taken may be inadequate to prevent the misappropriation of our intellectual property. In the event that we resort to litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights, such litigation could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our managerial and financial resources. We can provide no assurance that we will prevail in such litigation. In addition, our trade secrets may be leaked or otherwise become available to, or be independently discovered by, our competitors. Any failure in protecting or enforcing our intellectual property rights could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

As our patents may expire and may not be extended, our patent applications may not be granted and our patent rights may be contested, circumvented, invalidated or limited in scope, our patent rights may not protect us effectively.

As of the date of this report, we owned six registered patents relating to various aspects of our operations. The rights granted under any issued patents, however, may not provide us with proprietary protection or competitive advantages. The claims under any patents that issue from our patent applications may not be broad enough to prevent others from developing technologies that are similar or that achieve results similar to ours. It is also possible that the intellectual property rights of others will bar us from licensing. Numerous patents owned by others exist in the fields in which we have developed and are developing our technology. These patents and patent applications might have priority over our patent applications and could subject our patent applications to invalidation. Finally, in addition to those who may claim priority, any of our existing patents may also be challenged by others on the basis that they are otherwise invalid or unenforceable. Any failure in extending our existing patents, or if our patent rights were to be contested, circumvented, invalidated or limited in scope could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be subject to intellectual property infringement claims, which may be expensive to defend and may disrupt our business and operations.

We cannot be certain that our operations or any aspects of our business do not or will not infringe upon or otherwise violate patents, copyrights or other intellectual property rights held by third parties. We have been, and from time to time in the future may be, subject to legal proceedings and claims relating to the intellectual property rights of others. In addition, there may be other third-party intellectual property that is infringed by our products, services or other aspects of our business. There could also be existing patents of which we are not aware that our products may inadvertently infringe. Holders of patents purportedly relating to some aspect of our products or business, if any such holders exist, may seek to enforce such patents against us in China, the United States or any other jurisdictions. Further, the application and interpretation of China’s patent laws and the procedures and standards for granting patents in China are still evolving and are uncertain, and PRC courts or regulatory authorities may not agree with our analysis. If we are found to have violated the intellectual property rights of others, we may be subject to liability for our infringement activities or may be prohibited from using such intellectual property, and we may incur licensing fees or be forced to develop alternatives of our own. In addition, we may incur significant expenses, and may be forced to divert management’s time and other resources from our business and operations to defend against these third-party infringement claims, regardless of their merits. Infringement of our intellectual property rights or successful licensing claims made against us may result in significant monetary liabilities and may materially disrupt our business and operations by restricting or prohibiting our use of the intellectual property in question.

Our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by a downturn in the global or Chinese economies.

Because our sales may depend on customers’ levels of disposable income, perceived job prospects and willingness to spend, our business and prospects may be affected by economic conditions in China or globally. Although the Chinese economy has grown steadily in the past decade, there is considerable uncertainty over the long-term effects of the expansionary monetary and fiscal policies adopted by the People’s Bank of China and financial authorities of some of the world’s leading economies, including the United States and China. There have been concerns over unrest and terrorist threats in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, which have resulted in volatility in oil and other markets. There have also been concerns on the relationship among China and other Asian countries, which may result in or intensify potential conflicts in relation to territorial disputes. In addition, the world economy has been facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020. Economic conditions in China are sensitive to global economic conditions, as well as changes in domestic economic and political policies and the expected or perceived overall economic growth rate in China. A decline in the economic prospects in the mechanics and other industries could alter current or prospective customers’ spending priorities. We cannot assure you that e-bicycles’ spending in general or with respect to our product offerings in particular will increase, or not decrease, from current levels. Therefore, a slowdown in China’s economy or the global economy may lead to a reduction in demand for e-bicycles, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If we fail to develop and maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud.

In connection with the preparation of our financial statements for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2019, 2020 and 2021, we have identified material weaknesses and other control deficiencies including significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting. As defined in the standards established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board of the United States, or PCAOB, a “material weakness” is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

As of and for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, one material weakness that has been identified related to our lack of sufficient financial reporting and accounting personnel with appropriate knowledge of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and SEC reporting requirements to properly address complex U.S. GAAP accounting issues and to prepare and review our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures to fulfill U.S. GAAP and SEC financial reporting requirements. The other material weakness that has been identified related to our lack of key monitoring mechanisms such as internal control department to oversee and monitor Company’s risk management, business strategies and financial reporting procedures.

We have already taken some steps and have continued to implement measures to remediate the material weakness identified, including but not limited to (a) hiring a Chief Financial Officer on September 1, 2020 with adequate experience of U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting and compliance requirements, and (b) continuing our efforts to set up the internal audit department, and enhance the effectiveness of the internal control system. For details on these initiatives, please see “Item 15. Controls and Procedures — (b) Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.”

Pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we are required to file a report by our management on our internal control over financial reporting, including an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm. However, while we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to include an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm. 

We cannot be certain that these measures will successfully remediate the material weakness or that other material weaknesses will not be discovered in the future. If we fail to achieve and maintain an effective internal control environment, it could result material misstatements in our financial statements and we could fail to meet our reporting obligations, which would likely cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information. This could in turn limit our access to capital markets, harm our results of operations, and lead to a decline in the trading price of EZGO’s ordinary shares. Additionally, ineffective internal control over financial reporting could expose us to increased risk of fraud or misuse of corporate assets and subject us to potential delisting from the stock exchange on which we list, regulatory investigations and civil or criminal sanctions. We may also be required to restate our financial statements from prior periods.

Any significant cybersecurity incident or disruption of our information technology systems or those of third-party partners could materially damage user relationships and subject us to significant reputational, financial, legal and operation consequences.

We depend on our information technology systems, as well as those of third parties, to develop new products and services, host and manage our services, store data and process transactions. Any material disruption or slowdown of our systems or those of third parties whom we depend upon could cause outages or delays in our services, particularly in the form of interruption of services delivered by our website, which could harm our brand and adversely affect our operating results. If changes in technology cause our information technology systems, or those of third parties whom we depend upon, to become obsolete, or if our or their information systems are inadequate to handle our growth, we could lose users, and our business and operating results could be adversely affected.

We have limited insurance coverage, which could expose us to significant costs and business disruption.

We are exposed to various risks associated with our business and operations, and we have limited liability insurance coverage. A successful liability claim against us due to injuries or damages suffered by our users could materially and adversely affect our reputation, results of operations and financial conditions. Even if unsuccessful, such a claim could cause us adverse publicity, require substantial costs to defend, and divert the time and attention of our management. In addition, we do not have any business disruption insurance. Any business disruption event could result in substantial costs to us and a diversion of our resources.

We are subject to a variety of costs and risks due to our continued expansion internationally that may not be successful and could adversely affect our profitability and operating results.

Our e-bicycles are manufactured for sales and distribution mostly in China. We are continuing to expand the international market, although our current international market share is relatively small compared to our domestic business. Currently, we promote our products to the international market through online promotion. Developing the international market requires continuous investment in marketing expenses. International expansion represents a large opportunity to further grow our business and enhance our competitive position, and is one of our core strategies.

We may enter into new geographic markets where we have limited or no experience in marketing, selling, and localizing and deploying our e-bicycles. International expansion has required and will continue to require us to invest significant capital and other resources and our efforts may not be successful. International sales and operations may be subject to risks such as:

The occurrence of any of these risks could negatively affect our international business and consequently our business and operating results. In addition, the concern over these risks may also prevent us from entering into or releasing certain of our e-bicycles in certain markets.

Changes in U.S. and Chinese regulations or in relations between the United States and China may adversely impact our business, our operating results, our ability to raise capital and the market price of EZGO’s ordinary shares. Any such changes may take place quickly and with very little notice