*Updated* “It’s official: Volkswagen is now Voltswagen – only in America.” Actually, it was a poor joke

*UPDATED* 10.30am March 31 2021.

If it was meant to get media attention, it certainly worked. Car companies have a long history of sending out April Fool’s Day press releases, usually with fun stories or outlandish claims that go along with the spirit of the day.

Volkswagen changing its name to “Voltswagen” for its electric cars in America was apparently leaked a few days before April 1, in what is now revealed to be a prank.

Two days before April Fool’s its US website showcased the new Voltswagen name, while its Twitter account was given a new Voltswagen handle. Despite many in the media questioning if it was an early April Fool’s joke, including EVcentral, the car giant said the rebranding was no prank.

That’s now turned out to be false, and Volkswagen America will address the matter in a press release before April Fool’s Day proper.

Before running our story (below) Evcentral approached Volkswagen Australia for comment. A spokesperson pointed us to an article published by CarAdvice, which reported that VW Australia gave assurances the rebranding was no joke.

Perhaps global Volkswagen marketing departments were also caught out by the prank? Or were they all in on it? Either way, rival car companies are going to have to work very hard to out-do Volkswagen – not Voltswagen – with their April Fool’s Day press release efforts.

Our original story is below:

Volkswagen is now Voltswagen – only in America

Volkswagen officially has a new name in the United States: Voltswagen.

The German brand that literally translates to “people’s car” has decided to rebrand as Voltswagen for the American market.

And it’s all about electric cars.

The shock (sorry) move – which had us checking April 1 hadn’t arrived earlier – is described as “a public declaration of the company’s future-forward investment in e-mobility”.

It’s also a neat way to provide separation from the brand that copped record fines for the diesel emissions cheating scandal, which hit particularly hard in America.

While Volkswagen is becoming Voltswagen in the States, there appears no change for the brand elsewhere, which includes Australia.

Despite the rebrand, the American product lineup will still include petrol-powered cars, although Volks… err Voltswagen, is fast shifting to EVs and the US is a major focus.

“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 America.

“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.”

The company’s website and marketing will all sport the new Voltswagen branding, although when we visited voltswagen.com we got page of sponsored listings that had no relevance to Volkswagen … or Voltswagen. And the official volkswagen.com website was still very much Volkswagen.

Overseas reports suggest Volkswagen/Voltswagen had initially planned to make the announcement a month later but it was accidentally released early.

In the new Voltswagen America world petrol-powered cars won’t have Voltswagen on them, instead sticking with just the VW logo.

The all-important VW ID.4 is one that will show off the new Voltswagen branding in the States.

“As our newly launched ID.4 campaign demonstrates, the humanity at the core of this brand remains its enduring legacy,” said Kimberley Gardiner, senior vice presidentof marketing for Voltswagen of America.

“The tone of Voltswagen will be a consistent thread between the branded communications for our growing electric fleet to our gas vehicles. Over the course of the next few months, you will see the brand transition at all consumer touch points. This is an exciting moment for us, and we have been working through every avenue to make the transition clear, consistent, seamless and fun for all.”