The Benteler Group signed an agreement on 5 January 2026 to acquire ioki, Deutsche Bahn's on-demand mobility software subsidiary, for an undisclosed sum.
Why BENTELER Group is buying ioki GmbH
Benteler plans to combine HOLON, which builds the autonomous HOLON Urban shuttle, ioki's platform and routing technology for on-demand services and public transport integration, and Benteler Mobility, which operates and finances fleets, into what it calls the first European full-service provider for autonomous mobility. ioki will remain vehicle- and system-agnostic, and its driver-based ridepooling remains a strategic pillar.
“This integrated approach is unique in our industry.”
Deal terms and financing
Financial terms were kept confidential. ioki employs more than 100 people and its software has been used in more than 200 transport services, reaching nearly 10 million passengers.
Regulatory approvals and timing
Benteler said closing was expected in the near future. No completion announcement had been found by October 2026.
Market context
ioki was launched by Deutsche Bahn as an in-house electric ridesharing project in 2017 and became a separate subsidiary in 2018, according to electrive. It has operated mainly in Europe, and Benteler said the deal would open international markets.
