It was all a marketing strategy. Volkswagen does not change its name. In order to attract the attention of the market to promote its new range of electric vehicles, the automotive company said that it was all a strategy linked to ‘April’s Fools’ (April Fools’ Day in the United States).
“We were not trying to mislead anyone,” a company spokesman told The Wall Street Journal. “It’s all just a marketing action to get people talking about ID.4.”
On Monday, the automaker that pleaded guilty in 2017 to misleading regulators about the pollution levels of its diesel vehicles accidentally released a press release announcing its name change to ‘Voltswagen of America’, in a clear nod to its new focus on electric car production.
The company is still rebuilding its image in North America after officially acknowledging its guilt in the fraud, and agreed to pay a fine of 4.3 billion dollars to the US authorities to close the scandal.
The document, which was later removed from its website, reported the replacement of the ‘k’ by a ‘t’. In addition, it ensured that it would keep the logo with a dark blue color for vehicles that use combustion engines, while it would give electric vehicles one with lighter tones.
The brand initially declined to comment on the withdrawn press document, but later made the announcement on social media.
The name change has been justified by the company, because it is “a public statement of future investment in electric mobility” and that “the new name and brand symbolize the powerful forward momentum that Voltswagen has launched, in seeks the goal of moving all people with electric vehicles “.
“We may be changing our ‘k’ to ‘t’, but what we are not changing is this brand’s commitment to making the best vehicles for drivers and people around the world,” said Scott Keogh, CEO of VW.
Precisely this Monday, VW announced a new advertising campaign to promote ID.4, the first electric vehicle that the manufacturer launched in the United States and globally.
The first units of the all-road electric SUV are already arriving at the company’s dealerships in the United States and will go on sale this summer.
“As soon as the presentation and pre-sale were made in the United States, the production that was available was exhausted,” said Alfonso Chiquini, Volkswagen’s marketing director in Mexico.
The 2021 ID.4 Pro can now be reserved with rear-wheel drive for an MSRP of $ 39,995. The initial model of the ID.4, called the 1st Edition, and of which all available units have already been sold, is priced at $ 43,995.
The ID.4 Pro and 1st Edition are equipped with an 82 kilowatt-hour battery and a synchronous AC motor located on the rear axle that produces 201 horsepower. The company said the ID.4 1st Edition has a range of 400 kilometers.
The electric motor is powered by 12 battery modules with a total of 288 cells placed in the chassis “to create a low center of gravity for optimal driving dynamics as well as extremely balanced weight distribution.”
At the end of 2021, the company plans to market a four-wheel drive version, called AWD Pro, with a power of 302 horsepower. This vehicle will be priced at $ 43,675.
“The first models to hit the sales floors in North America will be models produced in Germany, but once the reconfiguration of the Chattanooga (Tennessee) plant is complete, we will also have production in America. This is obviously going to benefit us as a region because from there we are going to hang ourselves up to bring it to Mexico soon, ”added Alfonso Chiquini.
With information from EFE and Reuters.
