The ID.4 is very close to reaching Volkswagen dealerships in the US, but both this and future electric models of the German brand may be there under the brand… VOLTSWAGEN — replacing the “volks” (people in German) in the brand name with “volts” in reference to Volt, the unit of electrical voltage.
It could have been an April 1st joke, but according to Automotive News, which had access to a press release that was supposed to come out on April 29 (and not March 29, as it turned out) and contacted a source at the brand, the thread of the name change seems to be real.
The purpose of this name change is to ensure a greater distinction between the electric models and the rest of the range. According to CNBC, the “Voltswagen of America” will continue to be an operating unit of the “Volkswagen Group of America”.
The Volkswagen ID.4 should be known in the US as the Voltswagen.
And in Europe?
Despite the name change, the Voltswagen, it seems, will keep the same Volkswagen logo, but there may be differences in terms of color.In addition, the… Voltswagen ID.4 will see the new designation appear in the form of a lettering present on all electric models from the German manufacturer for sale in the USA. According to the press release that gives an account of this change, this change is a “public declaration of the company's investment in electric mobility”.
As for Europe, according to Automotive News, there are no plans for the Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4 and future MEB family members to become “Voltswagen”.
It's official. US name change to Voltswagen will really happen
Update at 15:45. After the rumor, Volkswagen has just officially confirmed that its US name will change from Volkswagen to Voltswagen.
The change will take place next May. Scott Keogh, President and CEO of… Voltswagen of America said:
Scott Keogh, President and CEO of Voltswagen of America“We may be trading our K for a T, but what we're not changing is our brand's commitment to making best-in-class vehicles for drivers and people everywhere. " is the essence of our existence. We've said since the beginning of our shift to an electric future that we will make electric vehicles for millions and not just millionaires. This name change means a nod to our past as the people's car and our belief system that our future is to be the people's electric car."
Sources: Automotive News and CNBC.