Kenichiro Maeda, CEO of Undertones Consulting, Speaks at Nordic EV Summit 2026
Kenichiro Maeda, CEO of Undertones Consulting, participated as a speaker at the Nordic EV Summit 2026 in Lillestrøm, Norway. He engaged in panel discussions with international industry leaders, addressing the challenges traditional automakers face during the EV transition and the importance of emotional brand experience.
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- 📰 Published: May 22, 2026 at 19:00
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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.
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.
FAQ
Nordic EV Summit 2026の開催場所と目的は？
ノルウェー・リレストロム（オスロ近郊）のNOVA Spektrumで開催されました。政策立案者や自動車メーカー、研究機関らが集まり、ゼロエミッション・モビリティの未来や、EVの本格普及期における課題と機会を議論する場です。
前田謙一郎氏が登壇したパネルディスカッションのテーマは？
5月6日に「Are we facing Carmageddon?」で伝統的自動車メーカーのEVシフト戦略について、5月7日に「The Electric Vehicle Future」でEVの「エモーショナル」な進化について議論しました。
前田謙一郎氏の専門背景は？
テスラ・ジャパンでのシニア・マーケティングマネージャーや、ポルシェ・ジャパンでのマーケティング＆CRM部執行役員を歴任し、テスラ「モデル3」やポルシェ「タイカン」の日本導入などを手掛けたモビリティ戦略の専門家です。
前田謙一郎氏が今回の登壇で強調した点は？
日本メーカーがグローバル競争で勝つためには、長年培った信頼と新テクノロジーの融合、自動車自体の再定義、顧客体験とブランド価値の再構築が急務であると強調しました。
Undertones Consultingの主な事業内容は？
ブランディング・マーケティング戦略支援、および世界のモビリティ最新動向に関する講演・執筆活動を行っています。