INCENTIVESTOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

EX-10.9 5 ex10-9.htm

 

INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

 

This Incentive Stock Option Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of _______________, 2015 by and between Car Charging Group, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”) and _____________ (the “Participant”).

 

  Grant Date:  
     
  Exercise Price per Share: $
     
  Number of Option Shares:  
     
  Expiration Date: Five (5) Years from the Grant Date

 

1. Grant of Option.

 

1.1 Grant; Type of Option. The Company hereby grants to the Participant an option (the “Option”) to purchase the total number of shares of Common Stock of the Company equal to the number of Option Shares set forth above, at the Exercise Price set forth above. The Option is being granted pursuant to the terms of the Company’s 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, although the Company makes no representation or guarantee that the Option will qualify as an Incentive Stock Option. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined on the Grant Date) of the shares of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and its Affiliates) exceeds $100,000, the Options or portions thereof which exceed such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) shall be treated as Non-qualified Stock Options.

 

1.2 Consideration; Subject to Plan. The grant of the Option is made in consideration of the services to be rendered by the Participant to the Company (the “Continuous Service”) and is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein will have the meaning ascribed to them in the Plan.

 

2. Exercise Period; Vesting.

 

2.1 Vesting Schedule. The Option will become vested and exercisable with respect to the shares in accordance with the following schedule (each date a “Vesting Date”) until the Option is 100% vested:

 

 
 

 

The unvested portion of the Option will not be exercisable on or after the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service.

 

2.2 Expiration. The Option will expire on the Expiration Date set forth above, or earlier as provided in this Agreement or the Plan.

 

3. Termination of Continuous Service.

 

3.1 Termination for Cause. If the Participant’s Continuous Service is terminated for Cause, the Option (whether vested or unvested) shall immediately terminate and cease to be exercisable.

 

3.2 Termination Due to Disability. If the Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s Disability, all Options granted hereunder shall immediately vest and the Participant (or its designee) may exercise the vested portion of the Option, but only prior to the earlier of (i) one year from the date the Participant’s Continuous Service with the Company or its Affiliate terminates due to the Participant’s Disability or (ii) the Expiration Date.

 

3.3 Termination Due to Death. If the Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s death, all Options granted hereunder shall immediately vest and the vested portion of the Option may be exercised by the Participant’s estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance or by the person designated to exercise the Option upon the Participant’s death, but only prior to the earlier of (i) one year from the date the Participant’s Continuous Service with the Company or its Affiliate terminates due to the Participant’s death or (ii) the Expiration Date.

 

3.4 Termination for Reasons Other Than Cause, Death, Disability. If the Participant’s Continuous Service is terminated for any reason other than Cause, death or Disability, the Participant may exercise only the vested portion of the Option within the period of time ending on the Expiration Date. Any remaining unvested portion of the Option shall immediately terminate and cease to be exercisable.

 

3.5 Extension of Termination Date. If, following the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service for any reason, the exercise of the Option is prohibited because the exercise of the Option would violate the registration requirements under the Securities Act or any other state or federal securities law or the rules of any securities exchange or interdealer quotation system, then the expiration of the Option shall be tolled until the date that is thirty (30) days after the end of the period during which the exercise of the Option would be in violation of such registration or other securities requirements.

 

4. Manner of Exercise.

 

4.1 Election to Exercise. To exercise the Option, the Participant (or in the case of exercise after the Participant’s death or incapacity, the Participant’s executor, administrator, heir or legatee, as the case may be) must deliver to the Company a notice of intent to exercise in the manner designated by the Committee. If someone other than the Participant exercises the Option, then such person must submit documentation reasonably acceptable to the Company verifying that such person has the legal right to exercise the Option.

 

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4.2 Payment of Exercise Price. The entire Exercise Price of the Option shall be payable in full at the time of exercise, to the extent permitted by applicable statutes and regulations, either:

 

(a) in cash or by certified or bank check at the time the Option is exercised;

 

(b) by delivery to the Company of other shares of Common Stock, duly endorsed for transfer to the Company, with a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the Exercise Price (or portion thereof) due for the number of shares being acquired, or by means of attestation whereby the Participant identifies for delivery specific shares that have a Fair Market Value on the date of attestation equal to the Exercise Price (or portion thereof) and receives a number of shares equal to the difference between the number of shares thereby purchased and the number of identified attestation shares (a “Stock for Stock Exchange”);

 

(c) through a “cashless exercise program” established with a broker;

 

(d) by any combination of the foregoing methods; or

 

(e) in any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Committee.

 

4.3 Withholding. If the Company, in its discretion, determines that it is obligated to withhold any tax in connection with the exercise of the Option, the Participant must make arrangements satisfactory to the Company to pay or provide for any applicable federal, state and local withholding obligations of the Company. The Participant may satisfy any federal, state or local tax withholding obligation relating to the exercise of the Option by any of the following means:

 

(a) tendering a cash payment;

 

(b) authorizing the Company to withhold shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to the Participant as a result of the exercise of the Option; provided, however, that no shares of Common Stock are withheld with a value exceeding the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by law; or

 

(c) delivering to the Company previously owned and unencumbered shares of Common Stock.

 

The Company has the right to withhold from any compensation paid to a Participant.

 

4.4 Issuance of Shares. Provided that the exercise notice and payment are in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, the Company shall issue the shares of Common Stock registered in the name of the Participant, the Participant’s authorized assignee, or the Participant’s legal representative which shall be evidenced by stock certificates representing the shares with the appropriate legends affixed thereto, appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent, or other appropriate means as determined by the Company.

 

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5. Sale Restrictions. Any and all shares issued pursuant to this Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions described below.

 

5.1 Sale Restrictions. Until such time as Participant has sold all of the shares acquired pursuant to the Option, Participant shall only have the right, in the aggregate and upon consent of the Company, to sell, dispose of or otherwise transfer any of the shares or any options, warrants or other rights to purchase such shares or any other security of the Company which Participant owns or has a right to acquire as of the date hereof (the “Bleedout Shares”) up to five of percent (5%) of the total daily trading volume of the Company’s shares.

 

5.2 Any subsequent issuance to and/or acquisition by Participant of common shares or options or instruments convertible into common shares will be subject to the provisions of this Section 5.

 

5.3 Until such time as Participant has sold all of the Bleedout Shares, upon request from the Company, Participant shall deliver to the Company a written statement detailing all sales, transfers or other transactions of the Company’s securities and (ii) Participant’s current holdings of Company securities.

 

5.4 Permitted Transfers. Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions on transfer, Participant may, at any time and from time to time, transfer the Bleedout Shares (i) as bona fide gifts or transfers by will or intestacy, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the Warrant Holder, provided that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (iii) to a partnership which is the general partner of a partnership of which Warrant Holder is a general partner, or (iv) make a gift of to an organization exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended provided, that, in the case of any gift or transfer described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), each donee or transferee agrees in writing to be bound by the terms and conditions contained herein in the same manner as such terms and conditions apply to the undersigned so that in the aggregate, no more than the number of Bleedout Shares allowable under Section 5.1 above may be transferred on a given day, except in accordance with the terms hereof. For purposes hereof, “immediate family” means any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.

 

5.5 Ownership. Until such time as Participant has sold the shares in question, Participant shall retain all rights of ownership in the Bleedout Shares, including, without limitation, voting rights and the right to receive any dividends that may be declared in respect thereof.

 

5.6 Issuer and Transfer Agent. Issuer is hereby authorized to disclose the existence of this Agreement to its transfer agent. Issuer and its transfer agent are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of the Bleedout Shares if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Agreement.

 

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5.7 Survival. The provisions of this Section 5 shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of: (i) this Agreement, and/or (ii) Participant’s Continuous Service, whether with or without Cause, or due to death or Disability.

 

6. No Right to Continued Employment; No Rights as Shareholder. Neither the Plan nor this Agreement shall confer upon the Participant any right to be retained in any position, as an employee, consultant or director of the Company. Further, nothing in the Plan or this Agreement shall be construed to limit the discretion of the Company to terminate the Participant’s Continuous Service at any time, with or without Cause. The Participant shall not have any rights as a shareholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock subject to the Option prior to the date of exercise of the Option.

 

7. Transferability. The Option is not transferable by the Participant other than to a designated beneficiary upon the Participant’s death or by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by him or her. No assignment or transfer of the Option, or the rights represented thereby, whether voluntary or involuntary, by operation of law or otherwise (except to a designated beneficiary, upon death, by will or the laws of descent or distribution) will vest in the assignee or transferee any interest or right herein whatsoever, but immediately upon such assignment or transfer the Option will terminate and become of no further effect.

 

8. Change in Control. In the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may, in its discretion and upon at least ten (10) days’ advance notice to the Participant, cancel the Option and pay to the Participant the value of the Option based upon the price per share of Common Stock received or to be received by other shareholders of the Company in the Change of Control event.

 

9. Adjustments. The shares of Common Stock subject to the Option may be adjusted or terminated in any manner as contemplated by Section 11 of the Plan. Further, in the event that the Company shall (a) issue additional shares of the Common Stock as a dividend or other distribution on outstanding Common Stock, (b) subdivide its outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (c) combine its outstanding shares of the Common Stock into a smaller number of shares of the Common Stock, then, in each such event (such as, for example, a reverse split) the Purchase Price shall, simultaneously with the happening of such event, be adjusted by multiplying the then Purchase Price by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the product so obtained shall thereafter be the Purchase Price then in effect. The Purchase Price, as so adjusted, shall be readjusted in the same manner upon the happening of any successive event or events described herein in this Section 9. The number of shares of Common Stock that the Holder of this Warrant shall thereafter, on the exercise hereof, be entitled to receive shall be adjusted to a number determined by multiplying the number of shares of Common Stock that would otherwise (but for the provisions of this Section 9) be issuable on such exercise by a fraction of which (a) the numerator is the Purchase Price that would otherwise (but for the provisions of this Section 9) be in effect, and (b) the denominator is the Purchase Price in effect on the date of such exercise.

 

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10. Tax Liability and Withholding. Notwithstanding any action the Company takes with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, or other tax-related withholding (“Tax-Related Items”), the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains the Participant’s responsibility and the Company (a) makes no representation or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with the grant, vesting, or exercise of the Option or the subsequent sale of any shares acquired on exercise; and (b) does not commit to structure the Option to reduce or eliminate the Participant’s liability for Tax-Related Items.

 

11. Qualification as an Incentive Stock Option. It is understood that this Option is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option as defined in Section 422 of the Code to the extent permitted under Applicable Law. Accordingly, the Participant understands that in order to obtain the benefits of an incentive stock option, no sale or other disposition may be made of shares for which incentive stock option treatment is desired within one (1) year following the date of exercise of the Option or within two (2) years from the Grant Date. The Participant understands and agrees that the Company shall not be liable or responsible for any additional tax liability the Participant incurs in the event that the Internal Revenue Service for any reason determines that this Option does not qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of the Code.

 

12. Disqualifying Disposition. If the Participant disposes of the shares of Common Stock prior to the expiration of either two (2) years from the Grant Date or one (1) year from the date the shares are transferred to the Participant pursuant to the exercise of the Option (a “Disqualifying Disposition”), the Participant shall notify the Company in writing within thirty (30) days after such disposition of the date and terms of such disposition. The Participant also agrees to provide the Company with any information concerning any such dispositions as the Company requires for tax purposes.

 

13. Non-competition and Non-solicitation

 

13.1 Restrictions. In consideration of the Option, the Participant agrees and covenants not to:

 

(a) contribute his or her knowledge, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, as an employee, officer, owner, manager, advisor, consultant, agent, partner, director, shareholder, volunteer, intern or in any other similar capacity to an entity engaged in the same or similar business as the Company and its Affiliates, including those engaged in the business of electric vehicle charging for a period of one (1) year following the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service;

 

(b) directly or indirectly, solicit, hire, recruit, attempt to hire or recruit, or induce the termination of employment of any employee of the Company or its Affiliates for one (1) year following the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service; or

 

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(c) directly or indirectly, solicit, contact (including, but not limited to, e-mail, regular mail, express mail, telephone, fax, and instant message), attempt to contact or meet with the then-current customers of the Company or any of its Affiliates for purposes of offering goods or services similar to or competitive with those offered by the Company or any of its Affiliates for a period of one (1) year following the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service.

 

13.2 Enforcement of Non-competition and Non-solicitation Restrictions. In the event of a breach by the Participant of any of the covenants contained in Section 13.1:

 

(a) any unvested portion of the Option shall be forfeited effective as of the date of such breach, unless sooner terminated by operation of another term or condition of this Agreement or the Plan; and

 

(b) the Participant hereby consents and agrees that the Company shall be entitled to seek, in addition to other available remedies, a temporary or permanent injunction or other equitable relief against such breach or threatened breach from any court of competent jurisdiction, without the necessity of showing any actual damages or that money damages would not afford an adequate remedy, and without the necessity of posting any bond or other security. The aforementioned equitable relief shall be in addition to, not in lieu of, legal remedies, monetary damages or other available forms of relief.

 

14. Compliance with Law. The exercise of the Option and the issuance and transfer of shares of Common Stock shall be subject to compliance by the Company and the Participant with all applicable requirements of federal and state securities laws and with all applicable requirements of any stock exchange on which the Company’s shares of Common Stock may be listed. No shares of Common Stock shall be issued pursuant to this Option unless and until any then applicable requirements of state or federal laws and regulatory agencies have been fully complied with to the satisfaction of the Company and its counsel. The Participant understands that the Company is under no obligation to register the shares of Common Stock with the Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission or any stock exchange to effect such compliance.

 

15. Notices. Any notice required to be delivered to the Company under this Agreement shall be in writing and addressed to the Secretary of the Company at the Company’s principal corporate offices. Any notice required to be delivered to the Participant under this Agreement shall be in writing and addressed to the Participant at the Participant’s address as shown in the records of the Company. Either party may designate another address in writing (or by such other method approved by the Company) from time to time.

 

16. Governing Law. This Agreement will be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida without regard to conflict of law principles.

 

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17. Interpretation. Any dispute regarding the interpretation of this Agreement shall be submitted by the Participant or the Company to the Committee for review. The resolution of such dispute by the Committee shall be final and binding on the Participant and the Company.

 

18. Options Subject to Plan. This Agreement is subject to the Plan as approved by the Company’s shareholders. The terms and provisions of the Plan as it may be amended from time to time are hereby incorporated herein by reference. In the event of a conflict between any term or provision contained herein and a term or provision of the Plan, the applicable terms and provisions of the Plan will govern and prevail.

 

19. Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement. This Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth herein, this Agreement will be binding upon the Participant and the Participant’s beneficiaries, executors, administrators and the person(s) to whom the Option may be transferred by will or the laws of descent or distribution.

 

20. Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of the Plan or this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, and each provision of the Plan and this Agreement shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

 

21. Discretionary Nature of Plan. The Plan is discretionary and may be amended, cancelled or terminated by the Company at any time, in its discretion. The grant of the Option in this Agreement does not create any contractual right or other right to receive any Options or other Awards in the future. Future Awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company. Any amendment, modification, or termination of the Plan shall not constitute a change or impairment of the terms and conditions of the Participant’s employment with the Company.

 

22. Amendment. The Committee has the right to amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or cancel the Option, prospectively or retroactively; provided, that, no such amendment shall adversely affect the Participant’s material rights under this Agreement without the Participant’s consent.

 

23. No Impact on Other Benefits. The value of the Participant’s Option is not part of his or her normal or expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, retirement, welfare, insurance or similar employee benefit.

 

24. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument. Counterpart signature pages to this Agreement transmitted by facsimile transmission, by electronic mail in portable document format (.pdf), or by any other electronic means intended to preserve the original graphic and pictorial appearance of a document, will have the same effect as physical delivery of the paper document bearing an original signature.

 

25. Acceptance. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan and this Agreement. The Participant has read and understands the terms and provisions thereof, and accepts the Option subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that there may be adverse tax consequences upon exercise of the Option or disposition of the underlying shares and that the Participant should consult a tax advisor prior to such exercise or disposition.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Incentive Stock Option Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

  CAR CHARGING GROUP, INC.
   
  By:  
  Name: Michael D. Farkas
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

     
  Name:  

 

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