German engine manufacturer Deutz has agreed to acquire Sobek, a maker of electric drives for high-tech applications, in a deal expected to close imminently, the company said on Monday.
Sobek, with three sites in Baden-Württemberg and Hesse, supplies electric motors and control electronics for sectors including motorsport, aerospace and medical technology. Its products are used by several Formula 1 and Formula E teams. Deutz said it sees significant potential in the drone market, particularly for military applications.
Drones are “one of the top areas of investment by NATO, as the requirements profile of many armed forces is moving away from conventional platforms and toward autonomous and highly mobile systems,” Deutz said in a statement. The company added that Sobek’s technology could also serve civilian drone applications, including logistics, infrastructure monitoring and urban transportation.
Deutz’s CEO, Sebastian C. Schulte, said the acquisition positions the company as a “relevant systems partner in this young and rapidly growing market” while expanding its motorsport and medical technology businesses. He added: “Together with SOBEK, we can proactively position ourselves as a relevant systems partner in this young and rapidly growing market, and we aim to further expand the established business in motor sports and medical technology.”
Sobek’s CEO and current owner, Olaf Hahn, said the partnership would accelerate the integration of its technology into the drone sector. “Thanks to a global network and the industrialization expertise that Deutz brings to the table, we will be able to integrate our technology into the growing business with drones significantly faster and with greater scalability,” he said.
Deutz previously owned electric drive manufacturer Torqeedo, which it sold to Yamaha in April 2024. The company has also demonstrated electric construction vehicles, highlighting its ongoing interest in e-mobility solutions.
