Welcome to the eMobility Marketing Podcast! Duncan Forrester—former brand leader at Volvo, Polestar, Volta Trucks, Automobili Pininfarina, and McLaren—joins Theo to share his lessons on building trust, crafting narratives, and steering EV startups through today’s toughest challenges.

From luxury EVs to electrified trucks and hypercars, Duncan has helped launch some of the most recognized names in mobility. His biggest insight: startups win not just by creating great products, but by proving, milestone by milestone, that they can deliver. That’s how you earn the trust of investors, suppliers, media, and customers.

We cover why disruption sometimes backfires, the underused power of air pollution as a marketing message, and how policy certainty shapes mainstream adoption. Duncan also reflects on what he learned building Polestar into Tesla’s first real competitor, how to avoid confusing customers with technical jargon, and why startup life—though difficult—is far more rewarding than working in a legacy OEM.

If you’re a founder, marketer, or mobility professional, this episode is a masterclass in building credibility, simplifying the EV story, and creating brands that resonate with real people.

Chapters

00:00 Building Confidence & Credibility

01:06 Finding a Brand’s True Essence

02:08 Outside-In Communication & Truth to Power

03:11 Shocks Moving from OEMs to Startups

05:10 Competing with Giants & Maintaining Credibility

06:17 Lessons from Launching Polestar

08:29 Convincing Investors: Proving Ability to Deliver

10:12 When Disruption Backfires (Volta Cargo Boxes)

12:56 Air Quality as an Untapped EV Narrative

15:47 Barriers to Mainstream Adoption

18:20 Complexity of Powertrain Choices

20:45 Stop Talking Tech—Speak Customer Language

22:05 First Steps for EV Startups Today

24:06 Policy Certainty & the Role of Government

25:44 Most Proud Marketing Project

27:21 Birthday Party Argument for EVs

29:09 Startup Life Lessons & Personal Ownership

31:32 Why Everyone Should Spend Time in a Startup

Connect with Nexxt Industry

Website: ⁠www.nexxtindustry.com⁠

Linkedin: ⁠Nexxt Industry⁠

Facebook: ⁠Next Industry⁠

Hosted by Theo Reichgelt

LinkedIn: ⁠Theo Reichgelt⁠

Connect with Duncan Forrester

LinkedIn: Duncan Forrester

Website: www.rocketeercars.com

Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif & Kroo

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For inquiries/sponsoring: email [email protected].