Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

VW's being investigated by SEC over Voltswagen April Fools marketing stunt

VW's being investigated by SEC over Voltswagen April Fools marketing stunt

Volkswagen's April Fool's Day marketing stunt claiming a name change to Voltswagen has the company in hot water with the SEC.

Volkswagen is being investigated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over an April Fools Day marketing stunt in which the company claimed it was changing the name of its U.S. unit to Voltswagen, according to German business magazine Der Spiegel (via Reuters).

The SEC first requested information about the joke name change, which was meant to promote VW's electric cars, in early April, according to the report, which also quoted VW as confirming the investigation.

Automakers often indulge in April Fools Day jokes, but in this case VW claimed it wasn't joking. The Voltswagen name first came to light in a leaked press release that appeared a few days before April 1 and was widely reported on by media. When Motor Authority and other media outlets asked VW public relations directly if the name change was real, a spokesperson indicated it was.

2021 Voltswagen ID.4


At least one analyst praised the name change, while VW share prices rose on the day the Voltswagen name was announced, Reuters reported. The fluctuation in stock prices over the fake name is likely what drew the SEC's attention.

VW subsequently confirmed that the announcement, which also included details on changes to vehicle badging, was an elaborate marketing stunt to promote electric cars. The automaker just launched its first mass-market electric car—the ID.4 crossover—and plans to build 28 million EVs by 2028, encompassing 70 different models across the German automaker's many global brands.

This isn't the first time the SEC has investigated an auto-industry prank. In 2018, the agency fined Tesla CEO Elon Musk $40 million after he made misleading statements about taking Tesla private. Musk was also forced to step down as chairman of the automaker.

This also isn't the first VW investigation in recent years. In 2015, the automaker admitted that it used illegal software in diesel engines to cheat on emissions tests, which cost the company billions of dollars.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
×