DETROIT (AP) — Volkswagen of America issued false statements this week saying it would change its brand name to “Voltswagen,” as a way to stress its commitment to electric vehicles, only to reverse course Tuesday and admit that the supposed name change was just a joke. Mark Gillies, a company spokesman, confirmed Tuesday that the statement had been a pre-April Fool’s Day joke, after having insisted Monday that the release was legitimate and the name change accurate. The company’s false statement was distributed again Tuesday, saying the brand name change reflected VW’s switch to more battery-electric vehicles.
Volkswagen hoaxes media with fake statement on name change
