Mercedes-Benz has become the newest automobile manufacturer to jump on the controversial subscription model bandwagon by announcing a recurring yearly fee for its battery-electric models. You might remember that BMW came under severe criticism for introducing a subscription model which is currently being tested in South Korea and several European countries. The backlash faced by the Bavarian manufacturer was so big that BMW USA had to come out with a statement clarifying how the subscription model will be implemented. While BMW’s subscriptions are limited to certain options, such as heated seats, Mercedes is offering a yearly subscription to unlock the full performance potential of its cars from the EQ line-up.
The “Acceleration Increase” subscription service that can be found on the company’s online store will be available for all EQ models. Customers will have to pay $1,200 (plus tax) every year to unlock the full potential of their cars. Mercedes says the package will increase the maximum horsepower and torque of the car along with also increasing overall performance. Customers can expect an improvement of 0.8 to 1.0 seconds for the 0 to 60 mph run. Furthermore, the improved performance will be available in all driving modes and not just in the sportiest setting. It is very similar to what Tesla did back in 2020 with the “Acceleration Boost” for the all-wheel-drive Model 3 and Model Y. It’ll be interesting to see how the EQ owners react to this and if the company will face a similar backlash to what BMW faced.
Mercedes-Benz wants its EV owners to pay a $1200 yearly subscription fee to make their cars go quicker.
