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German carmaker Volkswagen is to rebrand itself as “Voltswagen” for the US market to mark its ongoing shift to electric vehicles.
The change applies immediately and will be reflected across its cars, branding and website.
VW, which has committed to sell one million electric vehicles worldwide by 2025, confirmed the plan after it was leaked to US media on Monday.
Some initially thought it was an early April Fool’s joke.
“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 chief executive of Voltswagen of America.
“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.”
When a press release outlining Volkswagen of America’s decision to rebrand itself was leaked to the US media yesterday, it was widely assumed to have been an early April Fools’ joke.
But today, the company confirmed that it would indeed be calling itself Voltswagen in future, in recognition, it said, of its investments in developing electric cars.
In practice, the change is unlikely to make much difference. Volkswagen’s share of the US market is very small, its cars will continue to use a VW badge – and everywhere else in the world, Volkswagens will remain Volkswagens.
The Volkswagen Group has long supported the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and aims to become carbon neutral by 2050.
However, its environmental record was damaged by the diesel emissions scandal of 2015. The firm admitted to installing software that was capable of cheating emissions tests in 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide.
As a result it has faced huge fines and compensation claims in Europe and the US, and two VW employees have received jail terms in America.
