Polestar CEO quits: this is his successor

Polestar

As of Oct. 1, 2024, Polestar will have a new leader.
Thomas Ingenlath, the man who has been at the helm of the Chinese-Swedish EV manufacturer since its founding in 2017, is stepping down as CEO.
His successor is Michael Lohscheller.

Lohscheller is by no means a stranger to the industry.
He previously led brands such as Opel, VinFast and Nikola Motor.
At Opel, he was responsible for a successful restructuring from 2017 to 2021, while he faced challenges at VinFast and Nikola Motor.
At both Vietnamese Vinfast and American Nikola Motor, the ride did last very short.
Both both automakers he stopped after one year.

Difficult times

Polestar could use a breath of fresh air to get the brand back on track.
After all, the first half of 2024 was anything but a success: some 20,200 cars were sold worldwide, down 27% from last year.
With dwindling demand for EVs, the future doesn’t look too bright for the time being, either.
Still, Polestar has a small advantage: not all of its cars are built in China.
With a factory in South Carolina, the brand can bypass the high import duties in Europe and the US, making it more competitive in these markets.

Ready for battle

In any case, Michael Lohscheller seems ready: “Polestar has already established itself as one of the most coveted and innovative brands in the electric vehicle sector, and I look forward to working with the talented team to build on this strong foundation and accelerate our development.”

Also see: Thoroughly renewed and improved: Polestar 2 (2024) review – AutoRAI TV