Volkswagen may be changing more than its cars' energy source as it moves aggressively into the electric-vehicle space.

The German brand plans to change its name in the US to "Voltswagen," CNBC reported Monday, citing a press release that was accidentally posted to the brand's website a month early.
In the now-deleted release, the brand - a subsidiary of Germany's Volkswagen Group - announced it would rename its US operations "Voltswagen of America," CNBC said. All of the brand's battery-powered vehicles will have exterior "Voltswagen" badging, while its gas-powered cars would retain the traditional VW emblem, according to the release.

A person familiar with the plans told CNBC the release was legitimate. A spokesperson for Volkswagen declined to comment."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," VW of America CEO Scott Keogh said in the release, per USA Today, which also viewed the draft release before it was taken down.
Volkswagen began delivering its first EV for the US market, the ID.4, in March. During a presentation in March, the Volkswagen Group laid out a wide-ranging strategy to overtake Tesla in the EV space. The plans included six European battery-production plants, new battery technology, and investments in charging infrastructure. In January, General Motors unveiled a new logo amid its own accelerated electrification push.

Volkswagen accidentally posted a press release on its website a month early on Monday announcing a new name for its U.S. operations, Voltswagen of America, emphasizing the German automaker’s electric vehicle efforts.

A spokesman for the company declined to comment on the release, which was dated April 29 and has since been taken down.

A person familiar with the company’s plans confirmed the authenticity of the release to CNBC. They asked to remain anonymous because the plans were not meant to be public yet.

The release said the name change “is expected to take effect in May” and called the change a “public declaration of the company’s future-forward investment in e-mobility.” It said Voltswagen will be placed as an exterior badge on all EV models with gas vehicles having the company’s iconic VW emblem only.

To “preserve elements of Volkswagen’s heritage,” the release said the company planned to retain the dark blue color of the VW logo for gas-powered vehicles and use light blue to differentiate “the new, EV-centric branding.”

The release said Voltswagen of America would remain an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of America and a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, with headquarters in Herndon, Virginia.

Volts are the derived units for electric potential, also known as electromotive force, between two points. General Motors previously used Volt for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle between 2010 and 2019.

The VW press release was incomplete, citing the need for an additional quote and photography from the automaker’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

A name change would be the latest EV news from Volkswagen, which earlier this month held a “Power Day” to discuss its EV technologies. It also announced goals of significantly increasing sales of EVs through the end of the decade. It expects more than 70% of its Volkswagen brand’s European sales will be EVs by 2030, up from a previous target of 35%. In the U.S. and China, it expects half of its sales to be EVs by that time frame.

GM earlier this year didn’t go as far as changing its name but announced a new logo and ad campaign focused on EVs. The Detroit automaker’s new logo features its gm initials in lowercase letters with the “m” underlined as a nod to its Ultium battery cell platform that will underpin its new EVs The blue letters are inside a rounded box of the same color. It replaced a white GM underlined within a darker blue block.

After the chaos of Monday's accidental leak, which many (Autoblog included) initially interpreted as an April Fool's misfire, VW of America hurriedly outlined its intent to rebrand in support of its long-term electrification plans. Starting in May, VW's U.S. operation will be known as "Voltswagen of America." Still don't believe it? Here it is, from VW of America boss Scott Keogh:

"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 Keogh. "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 announcement also confirms some details that emerged late Monday amid mounting evidence that the presumed joke was in fact legitimate. "Voltswagen" will be an exclusively American brand underneath the Volkswagen Group of America corporate umbrella, which includes the U.S. arms of Porsche, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini, and is itself an off-shoot of Volkswagen AG.

Monday's leak came a month ahead of the intended announcement, which was planned to coincide with the U.S. launch of VW's new, all-electric ID.4. crossover, which would have been the first tangible component of VW's broader pivot to battery-electric vehicles here in the United States. The ID.4 will be a nationwide offering, not merely an offering for California emissions states, signaling what VW claims is an all-in approach to bringing electric cars to the masses.

"That’s been the mission since the larger Volkswagen Group became the first major automaker to support the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement," VW said in its official announcement. "With an added target of a 30 percent reduction in the company’s carbon footprint by 2025, and net-carbon neutrality by 2050. A resulting commitment to sell 1 million EVs worldwide by 2025 will see more than 70 electric models launched across the VW group brands by 2029."

VW will preserve elements of its current branding, including its recently overhauled logo and its long-standing color themes, with light-blue elements signifying its new electric models. EVs will wear a badge that spells out "Voltswagen" to distinguish them from ICE-powered cars, which will retain the traditional VW logo in dark blue.

VW says to expect marketing support at local dealerships to begin soon.

Starting in May, VW's U.S. operation WILL be known as "Voltswagen of America." Still don't believe it? Here it is, from VW of America boss Scott Keogh:

"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 Keogh.