German automaker Volkswagen won’t be altering the identify of its U.S. operations to Voltswagen of America in any case.

The news, which appeared to leak out on its U.S. media web site Monday and was formally introduced in a press launch Tuesday, was a part of an elaborate April Fools’ Day joke to boost consciousness in regards to the firm’s all-electric ID.4, in keeping with an individual accustomed to the ruse.

The corporate is predicted to subject a follow-up announcement explaining the advertising and marketing technique by Wednesday morning, this individual stated, asking to not be named. The Wall Street Journal reported the prank earlier Tuesday.

An unfinished model of the preliminary press launch went out briefly on VW’s U.S. media newsroom web site Monday morning earlier than it was taken down. Media shops, together with CNBC, reported it as information after it was confirmed by unnamed sources inside the firm, who apparently lied to a number of reporters.

The discharge stated the identify change is predicted to take impact in Could and known as the change a “public declaration of the corporate’s future-forward funding in e-mobility.” It stated Voltswagen will probably be positioned as an exterior badge on all EV fashions with fuel automobiles having the corporate’s iconic VW emblem solely.