Volkswagen changes to Voltswagen officially, announced on Tuesday
Volkswagen is contemplating changing its American brand to Voltswagen, in a not-so-subtle nod to the German automaker’s multibillion-dollar effort to become the biggest electric vehicle manufacturer in the world.
The company decided to announce its dynamics at the end of April but accidentally published a press release about the name change early Monday afternoon, the CNBC news channel spotted it for the first time before the press release was deleted.
The proximity of the name change to April Fool’s Day initially raised suspicions that it was just a joke. But VW insists that it’s a real thing, so here we are.
The larger Volkswagen Group (which sits over brands like Audi, Porsche, and others) will keep the Volkswagen name for its American division. The name change will officially take effect in May 2021.
“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,” said Scott Keogh, president, and CEO of Voltswagen of America, he said in a statement.
“The idea of a ‘people’s car’ is the very fabric of our being. We have said, from the beginning of our shift to an electric future, that we will build EVs for the millions, not just millionaires. This name change signifies a nod to our past as the peoples’ car and our firm belief that our future is in being the peoples’ electric car.” he added.
