Kenichiro Maeda, CEO of Undertones Consulting, Speaks at Nordic EV Summit 2026

Kenichiro Maeda, Representative of Undertones Consulting (Headquarters: Tokyo), spoke at the 'Nordic EV Summit 2026' held at NOVA Spektrum in Lillestrøm (near Oslo), Norway, from May 6th to 7th, 2026.

Hosted by Norway, a global leader in EV adoption, this summit is one of Europe's premier international EV conferences, bringing together policymakers, automakers, technology firms, and research institutions to discuss the future of zero-emission mobility. The 2026 summit focused specifically on 'Challenges and Opportunities in the EV Mass Adoption Phase.'

Kenichiro Maeda participated in the following panel discussions, sharing his experience in EV transitions at major automakers, research on global mobility trends, and a Japanese perspective:

- May 6th: 'Are we facing Carmageddon?' Discussion on strategies for traditional automakers to avoid a 'Kodak Moment' during the shift to EVs. He provided practical recommendations based on the differences between European policy/market trends and the Japanese market.

- May 7th: 'The Electric Vehicle Future' Discussion with leaders including the President of Lucid Motors Europe on how to evolve EVs into 'emotional' entities. He emphasized the importance of design, brand experience, and user sentiment.

Comments from Kenichiro Maeda: 'It was highly stimulating to discuss directly with industry leaders in Norway, the world's most advanced EV market where over 98% of new car sales are electric. Like traditional European makers, for Japanese manufacturers to win in global competition, they must urgently redefine the automobile, fuse long-standing trust with new technologies, and rebuild customer experience and brand value. It is also increasingly important to view mobility within the context of the entire energy ecosystem. As Undertones Consulting, I aim to leverage these insights to support Japanese companies' EV and mobility strategies.'

About Kenichiro Maeda: After graduating from Sophia University with a degree in Economics, he worked at automotive-related companies in Europe. He later served as Senior Marketing Manager at Tesla Japan and Executive Officer for Marketing & CRM at Porsche Japan. He founded Undertones Consulting in 2023.