Wolfsburg charging parks: Ionity fires back at Tesla’s jab

Tesla has taken a subtle jab at the local carmaking giant Volkswagen at the recently opened Supercharger station in the German company's home base, Wolfsburg, with the ground signage saying: 'I.D. CHARGE HERE.' Now, VW's charging partner Ionity has delivered a witty retort at one of its Wolfsburg charging parks.

Vw ionity wolfsburg tesla joke — Image: Ionity

A subtle jab at the competition, combined with a touch of humour, is arguably one of the best marketing tricks to liven up an otherwise mundane topic. By 2026, reports on individual new charging parks will only be noted in passing since the connection of new charging parks to the grid has become the norm.

Tesla, however, does things differently. The company tends to be restrained in its own press releases or announcements, often leaving it to its fans to share news via social media. A new Supercharger site in Wolfsburg – even in the heart of VW territory – would likely have been little more than a footnote in 2026. Yet, with a subtle jab perfectly suited for a quick post, Tesla made its mark at the station. The carmaker marked the charging parking places with the ground signage: I.D CHARGE HERE – pointing out that the American firm is providing charging for VW’s ID. models.

But Volkswagen and its charging partner Ionity have now responded. At one of Ionity’s charging sites in Wolfsburg, the two companies have placed their own message. The ground now reads „Y settle for less?“ – a playful dig at Tesla’s best-selling Model Y.

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