30 March 2021, Herndon, Virginia, V. 2 Voltswagen of America will now officially replace Volkswagen of America as the company’s U.S. brand name, according to Volkswagen Group of America. Volkswagen is a public expression of the company’s future-forward investment in e-mobility, more so than just a name change.
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Has Volkswagen adopted a new name?
- In order to further its EV offensive in 2021, Volkswagen has revealed plans to construct six battery plants throughout the world.
- Tuesday morning, Volkswagen of America announced via a Twitter post that it is changing its name to “Voltswagen” for its EVs in the U.S.
30 March 2021, 6:50 p.m. ET UPDATE: In response to rumors this afternoon from Reuters and the Wall Street Journal that the name change was a publicity gimmick, Volkswagen of America released a statement announcing that company name will not be changing. The April Fools’ Day joke about the “Voltswagen name” was badly done and premature.
VW has confirmed the name change via Twitter, as the post below demonstrates. UPDATE 3/30/2021, 8:30 a.m. ET:
What does Volkswagen currently go by?
Author’s Note To emphasize its dedication to fleet electrification, Volkswagen initially declared that it would rename its U.S. operations Voltswagen. On Tuesday, the corporation acknowledged that the release was a sophisticated April Fools’ hoax. Here is our whole account of the joke. The original article based on VW’s announcement of the name change is provided below.
On Monday, Volkswagen unintentionally published a news release a month early on its website, revealing a new moniker for its American operations: Voltswagen of America, stressing the German automaker’s efforts in the area of electric vehicles.
A spokeswoman for the corporation declined to comment on the release, which was dated April 29 and has since been removed down.
The name change is anticipated to go into effect in May, according to the press release, which dubbed it a “public affirmation of the company’s future-forward engagement in e-mobility.” All electric vehicle models will have the Voltswagen exterior badge, while gas-powered models will only have the VW logo.
The press release stated that Volkswagen planned to keep the dark blue color of the VW emblem for gas-powered vehicles and use light blue to distinguish “the new, EV-centric identity” in order to “preserve elements of Volkswagen’s heritage.”
According to the press release, Volkswagen of America will continue to operate as a division of Volkswagen Group of America and as a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, with administrative offices in Herndon, Virginia.
Electric potential, sometimes referred to as electromotive force, between two places is measured in quantities called volts. Between 2010 and 2019, General Motors utilized Volt as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
Is Volkswagen changing its name?
Volkswagen later acknowledged that the name change had been an early April Fool’s Day joke, but not before there was significant misunderstanding and reports that it had an effect on its stock price.
The automaker claimed that the stunt was done to highlight both its new electric utility vehicle and its broad commitment to electrification.
The Associated Press reported that it was “an unwanted prank” and that it eroded public faith in the corporation after the 2015 emission test controversy, suggesting that the joke may have backfired.
The Associated Press reported information that is now known to be untrue after receiving repeated assurances from Volkswagen that its US unit planned to change its name.
“On the basis of the company’s admission, we have updated our narrative and published a new one. Accurate journalism is harmed, as is the public interest, by this and any deliberate dissemination of incorrect material.”
The article also noted that the company’s share price increased by about 5% on the same day, suggesting that the joke may lead to a regulatory investigation.
Volkswagen was founded in 1937 and is a mix of the German terms for people and vehicles, volk and wagen.
In order to signal the “opening of a new era” of electric automobiles, Volkswagen underwent a real rebranding exercise two years ago, replacing its chrome-effect emblem with a flat logo.
What was the initial name of Volkswagen?
The German government, then governed by Adolf Hitler of the National Socialist (Nazi) Party, establishes a new state-owned vehicle corporation on May 28th, 1937, under the name Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH. It was called simply Volkswagenwerk later that year, meaning “People’s Car Corporation.
Volkswagen’s original owners were the Nazi-affiliated German Labor Front, and the company was based in Wolfsburg, Germany. Hitler’s pet project was the creation and mass production of a cheap yet quick automobile that could sell for less than 1,000 Reich marks (about $140 at the time), in addition to his grandiose ambition to establish a network of autobahns and controlled access motorways throughout Germany. To create the layout for this “Hitler enlisted the German and Austrian automotive engineer Ferdinand Porsche to develop the people’s automobile. The Fuhrer said during a Nazi rally in 1938: “This car was created with the general public in mind. Its goal is to satisfy their desire for mobility while also making them happy. Although the KdF (Kraft-durch-Freude)-Wagen ( “In 1939, as World War II broke out and Volkswagen ceased manufacturing, the maiden demonstration of the Strength-Through-Joy vehicle (or STH car) took place at the Berlin Motor Show. The Allies would make Volkswagen the center of their efforts to revive the German auto industry after the war, leaving the factory in ruins.
Due to the car’s historical Nazi links, small size, and unique rounded design, Volkswagen sales in the United States started off slower than in other areas of the world. The advertising firm Doyle Dane Bernbach developed a historic campaign in 1959, dubbed the vehicle the “Beetle and presented its small size as a clear benefit to customers. In the ensuing years, VW surpassed all other auto imports in terms of sales in the country. Volkswagen was effectively denationalized in 1960 when the German government sold 60 percent of the company’s equity to the general public. Twelve years later, the Volkswagen Beetle broke the renowned Model T’s record of 15 million automobiles produced globally between 1908 and 1927.
Sales of the Volkswagen Beetle slowed down in the early 1970s because of the car’s mostly unaltered design since 1935. With the release of sportier vehicles like the Rabbit and later, the Golf, VW recovered. In 1998, the business started offering the acclaimed “while keeping up with the production of its predecessor, the New Beetle. On July 30, 2003, in Puebla, Mexico, the final original Beetle came off the assembly line after over 70 years and more than 21 million cars built.
What was the VW’s American name?
UPDATE: VW has decided to change its name back to Volkswagen. The company claims in a tweet that the entire situation is an April Fool’s “effort.”
The formal name change of Volkswagen in America to Voltswagen confirms the rumor from yesterday. Officially, the change takes place in May 2021.
In the official statement, Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Volkswagen of America, said, “We might be swapping our K for a T, but what we aren’t altering is this brand’s dedication to delivering best-in-class automobiles for drivers and people everywhere.” “The concept of a “people’s car” is fundamental to who we are. We have stated that we will create EVs for millions of people, not just millionaires, from the beginning of our journey to an electric future. This name change is a tribute to our history as the people’s car and expresses our steadfast conviction that the people’s electric car is what we want to be in the future.”
Gallery: 2021 Volkswagen ID.4: First Drive
Volkswagen will distinguish between its combustion- and electric-powered vehicles. ICE vehicles will wear the current VW logo, while EVs will sport a Voltswagen external insignia.
The branding for Volkswagen will start appearing right away in advertisements, on its website, and on social media. The new name will subsequently begin to appear on signage at the automaker’s locations and dealerships.
What became of Passat?
Volkswagen announced that it would discontinue the Passat sedan for the American market in July 2021. According to CarBuzz, towards the end of 2021, the carmaker stopped making the Passat Sedan for international markets. The Passat sedan will no longer be sold in international markets after the 2022 model year, similar to the U.S. market.
The Passat sedan sold in foreign nations is different from the Passat manufactured in America. The Passat is a larger vehicle and is built on an older platform in the US. Since 2014, the Passat has been sold with global specifications. Regardless matter the platform, the Passat sedan’s demise is imminent.
What does the German word “Volkswagen” mean?
In 1937, Volkswagen was established in Germany. Given the occasion and setting, it should come as no surprise that the German governmentmore especially, Adolf Hitlerdesigned the vehicle with the intention of fostering a sense of nationalism among its citizens. The German government, who controlled it, chose the name “Volkswagenwerk,” which means “the people’s automobile firm.” The German Labor Front ran it from Wolfsburg, Germany. On select Volkswagen vehicles, the Wolfsburg Edition trim can be found. It is typically positioned in the center and comes with extra amenities not present in the base trim. For instance, the Wolfsburg trim of the 2018 Golf comes after the S trim and offers extras like keyless entry with push-button start, V-Tex leatherette seats, blind spot monitoring, and more.
The Volkswagen factory was in ruins after World War II, and it appeared that the Volkswagen brand might vanish. However, as a result of the Allies’ efforts to revive the German auto sector, Volkswagen started to thrive and is now one of the most popular vehicle brands in the world. Due to the Nazi connection, it took some time for it to catch on in the United States, but it quickly gained popularity.
Audi just another Volkswagen?
Yes. The bigger Volkswagen Group, with its headquarters in Germany’s Bavaria, includes Audi. The Volkswagen Group also owns numerous other car brands, including Bentley, Bugatti, Porsche, and Lamborghini.
Why did Volkswagen change their logo?
The new logo is a modernized, minimalist, digital-first redesign of the original, focusing on the combined V, W, and surrounding circle as its only visible components. Because of this, it has a very wide range of applications. The logo works well on both small scales, like a smartwatch or phone, and on huge scales, like factories. It displays clearly on digital devices and applications.
In 2013, Apple began using this kind of flattened, streamlined look for their icons. Android soon did the same. The car industry appears to be finally catching up.
Does Kia have a new logo?
In January, Kia stated that the logo was meant to represent a new beginning and a shift in the company’s focus. According to a news release, the logo’s “rhythmical, uninterrupted line expresses Kia’s commitment to offering moments of inspiration, while its symmetry demonstrates confidence.”
Is Volkswagen making the item again?
According to a carmagazine.co.uk article from August 2020, the VW Type 181 could return in this decade as an all-electric vehicle. The upcoming model was dubbed “VW Junglezz” by the British newspaper. This trademark has been registered by Volkswagen Group with the EUIPO, and a hinting idea might be taking shape in a VW design studio.
In 2019, the VW 181, or “VW Thing” as it is known to Americans, turned 50. According to autobild.de, the Volkswagen Group is seeking some “fascinating vehicles to revitalize the ID. family of next-generation electric cars. The Bulli/Microbus does, in fact, make a comeback this year, but that’s not all. According to the German news article, Volkswagen has a number of unusual cars on the list, one of which is a replacement for the VW Type 181.
Dr. Herbert Diess, the CEO of the Volkswagen Group, has a special place in his heart for the VW Thing. According to the German journal, Dr. Diess has sympathy for the versatile 4WD vehicle from the World War II era. A Kubelwagen offshoot, the VW 181 was first a military vehicle officially named as the VW Kurierwagen (courier car). It had been ordered by the German army, and work on it started in October 1969. The civilian market accounted for more than 80% of the cross-country vehicle’s total output.