Apparently, word that Volkswagen of America is officially changing its name to Voltswagen is not true. Even though the U.S. unit says it will badge its EVs with the electric version of the traditional VW name, it may be an elaborate, early April Fool’s joke.
The fact that the name change would apply only in the U.S. should have been a tip-off. Part of the announcement said that everywhere else VW would remain Volkswagen, German for “people’s car.”
A Volkswagen AG spokesperson in Germany tells the Wall Street Journal and Reuters that there is no plan to change its name.
It started when Volkswagen of America briefly posted to its media site a half-written press release dated April 29 announcing the change. It quickly took down the post. But then the company sent out another release announcing the name change to Voltswagen.
Now the company may be walking it back. The name change announcement did seek to thread the needle by saying the company’s electric vehicles would carry the Voltswagen name on badges in a lighter shade of blue. Meanwhile, traditional gas-powered vehicles would continue to carry the VW logo in darker blue. There was no word on how it would rebrand its dealerships or the costs involved in such a massive undertaking.
Keep in mind, this is the same VW division that brought the Rabbit name back for the Golf from 2006 to 2009 and then again in 2019 on a special edition of the GTI.
VW is obviously seeking ways to not only hype its 2021 ID.4 electric SUV in the U.S. but also its plan to revive its iconic VW Microbus as an electric vehicle.
