VW will not rebrand as Voltswagen
- Joann Muller, author of Axios What's Next
VW ID.4, an electric SUV from "Voltswagen of America." Photo: VW
German carmaker Volkswagen clarified Tuesday it "will not be changing its name to Voltswagen," saying Monday's announcement of a rebrand was a joke.
Driving the news: The company posted a press release, dated April 29, to its website announcing the change, according to CNBC. The release, which called the change a “public declaration of the company’s future-forward investment in e-mobility,” has since been taken down.
What they're saying now: “Volkswagen of America will not be changing its name to Voltswagen," the company said in a statement on Tuesday. "The renaming was designed to be an announcement in the spirit of April Fool’s Day, highlighting the launch of the all-electric ID.4 SUV and signaling our commitment to bringing electric mobility to all.”
Why it matters: Legacy automakers have a lot of baggage to overcome in their effort to successfully challenge Tesla, the leader in electric vehicles. VW, for example, pivoted to EVs after its disgrace from a multi-billion dollar diesel emissions cheating scandal.
Flashback: Earlier this year, GM updated its logo to resemble a charging plug as part of a new marketing strategy to promote its own shift to all-electric vehicles.