Polestar appoints Michael Lohscheller as new CEO

Polestar, the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has announced the appointment of Michael Lohscheller as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective October 1, 2024. Lohscheller, a seasoned automotive executive with a distinguished career spanning several major automotive brands, succeeds Thomas Ingenlath, who has led Polestar since its inception in 2017.

Lohscheller brings a wealth of industry experience to Polestar, having previously served as CEO of Opel, VinFast, and most recently, Nikola. Known for his strategic vision and operational expertise, Lohscheller is expected to drive Polestar’s next phase of growth as the company continues to expand its model lineup and global market presence.

Winfried Vahland, who is set to take over as Polestar’s Chairman, expressed confidence in Lohscheller’s leadership, stating:

“”Polestar has experienced an exceptional start-up phase and with a broader model line-up, Michael Lohscheller is the ideal leader to guide Polestar into its next chapter. His deep industry knowledge, especially in driving operational excellence, developing a coherent product strategy, and strengthening the global market presence will be instrumental in the next chapter of Polestar’s growth.”

Vahland also reaffirmed Geely’s strong commitment to Polestar’s success, highlighting the company’s Scandinavian heritage, passion, and performance as key drivers for setting new standards in future mobility. “With Michael at the helm, supported by a dynamic leadership team, we are well-positioned for continued innovation and growth,” he added.

Lohscheller expressed his enthusiasm about joining Polestar during such a pivotal time in the company’s journey.

“I am honoured to join Polestar at such an exciting time in the company’s history. Polestar has already established itself as one of the most desirable and innovative brands in the electric vehicle space, and I look forward to working with the talented team to build on this strong foundation and accelerate our development,” Lohscheller said.

The leadership transition marks the end of an era for Polestar, with outgoing CEO Thomas Ingenlath being widely credited for transforming the brand from a performance division of Volvo into a standalone global premium EV brand. Under Ingenlath’s leadership, Polestar launched its first models, Polestar 1 and 2, and recently added the Polestar 3 and 4 to its lineup, establishing a strong foothold in the competitive EV market.

Reflecting on his tenure, Ingenlath remarked, “I am very proud of what we’ve achieved together in the last seven years. We had the vision of an electric premium brand which puts performance and design at its core. And we made it; the dream became reality. Polestar is the only true global premium electric brand, we just launched the Polestar 3 and 4, we are producing on two continents – thank you to everybody who contributed so far on this journey, it was a lifetime experience to build up this brand with you all. I wish Michael and the team the best for the next chapter of Polestar.”