Why Is Volkswagen Planning A Change In Overall Brand Name For The US Market?

Having once been this auto company that started in pre-Second World War era in the beating heart of Berlin, West Germany to being one of the preeminent auto giants in a competitive landscape that features mega automakers of the class and repute of a Fiat, Mercedes, Suzuki, Ford and the list is endless, Volkswagen has been quite the people’s car.

It’s a car name that has piqued curiosity, delivered on dreams, fostered a culture of German auto-engineering excellence, and sustained livelihoods for decades together.

And after witnessing momentous decades checkered with several milestones, one bigger than the other, such as the time where it went public (1960), its acquisition of Audi (1960s), acquiring Lamborghini (1998), foraying into the Chinese market (around 1985), the time where it sold four million vehicles in China (2016), to rolling out its one-millionth vehicle in India (April 2019), the Volkswagen story has been about constant growth and reinvention.

And now comes a development that can perhaps be called the newest landmarks in the annals of a reputed giant that’s been in business for no fewer than seven and a half decades.

It turns out that the famed German enterprise is envisaging a new brand name. And this iteration in nomenclature, it is believed, is being done exclusively to cater to the US market.

As a matter of fact, Volkswagen is planning to undergo a new brand name opting for ‘Voltswagen‘ where it comes specifically to the American market and at the heart of this change stand electric vehicles!

Market sources are of the view that the electric vehicles offered by the German giant shall now carry an exterior badge ‘Voltswagen’ while the cars running on internal combustion engine shall continue to carry the established or normal brand name, i.e., the usual VW insignia, minus any trade names.

Now if anyone was looking for a remarkable development from the bustling world of auto then perhaps you’ve hit the real news among the news.

It’s believed that the brand new change in the auto name stems from the renewed focus of the company toward electric car production. But is that all? Could it be that there’s another element to this rather interesting development?

There are many experts who cite that there’s also been a focus on the part of the establishment to distance from a scandal that really caught the carmaker with its tail between the legs: i.e., the scandalous emissions saga also known as the Dieselgate (or the Emissionsgate) wherein the carmaker was issued a stern notice by the US Environmental Protection Agency over violation of the Clean Air act.

Although, it must be duly noted that the above ‘soon-to-be-made-public’ announcement is still at some distance before it carries the ‘official’ tag.

Meanwhile, in the US market, Volkswagen has already started accepting bookings for its noted ID.4 all-electric SUV, a family-friendly car that’s as spacious as it is striking given its notable presence on the road. It’s been called a car that whispers, not shouts.

At the moment it happens to be the only electric offering in a market that the German carmaker is batting big on.

Also Read: Dual Airbags Compulsory For New Cars From April 1, 2021 In India!

That being said, here’s what Hindustan Times’ Auto section had to report on the much-anticipated pure electric arrival for the US:

Even with the ID.4 for sale, only a small fraction of Volkswagens on American roads will carry the ‘Voltswagen’ name. The majority of the company’s vehicle sales in the United States in the near future will continue to be gasoline-powered and will continue to be branded Volkswagen. Last year, the German automaker sold just under 326,000 Volkswagen-branded vehicles in the United States.

Also Read: Ola Is Coming Up With An Electric Scooter! Here’s What You Need To Know.