Volkswagen reportedly changing to 'Voltswagen' name ahead of new EVs
We’re still undecided on whether this is an early April Fool’s Day joke or not but it is a pretty good take on the iconic name.UPDATE 31/03/21: Turns out we were right, it was a marketing stunt all along! Good one VW...
In a statement, Volkswagen admitted that their earlier release saying it would change its name to “Voltswagen of America” was a marketing stunt aimed at drawing attention to the company’s electric vehicle plans.
Overnight, reports out of the US from news outlets including CNBC and USA Today stated that Volkswagen would be changing its name in the US ahead of its growing electrified future. A leaked press release that has since been deleted revealed that the name Volkswagen would make way for 'Voltswagen'.
The carsales team are a little sceptical on how legit this ‘leaked press release’ is considering we are only a few days away from April Fool's Day. Even if it is true, this is a pretty reasonable change to the German car brand.
A formal announcement on the name change is said to be made in the coming days. It is believed that the Voltswagen name will only be applied to the company's new and upcoming electric car range in the US while traditional petrol models like the Golf and Tiguan will retain the VW moniker.
“We might be changing out our K for a T, but what we aren’t changing is this brand’s commitment to making best-in-class vehicles for drivers and people everywhere,” VW of America CEO Scott Keogh said in the errant release.
News of the possible name change comes in the same month that VW’s first full-electric vehicle, the ID.4, went on sale in the US. Volkswagen also recently announced plans to have electric vehicles reach 50 per cent of total sales in the US by 2030. Unfortunately, none of these exciting electrified vehicles look to be hitting Australian shores any time soon.
As suspicious as a name change is at this time of year, the push toward electrification is very much part of VW's strategy post their Dieselgate emissions-cheating scandal. As part of the court settlement, VW agreed to spend $2 billion on green energy and electric cars, including paying for new public charging stations and public-education programs.
Related: Why are car brands changing their logos?
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