Unbelievable: Mercedes locks fastest acceleration behind subscription!   

Which is asking for a four-figure sum

As we recently informed you , the subscription model that has dominated the entertainment industry, with services such as Netflix and Disney+ in terms of TV series and PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass in terms of gaming, has begun to spread to the automotive industry as well.

In particular, BMW had started asking in some countries the owners of its vehicles to pay a monthly subscription to take advantage of all the functions of their car, such as the use of heated seats, the parts for which are already in the vehicle! Now, another German automotive giant, Mercedes , is following the same path .

As reported by The Verge , Mercedes-Benz will start charging gas as an annual subscription ! Yes, you read that right. The company will charge $1,200 a year for the “Acceleration Increase” add-on, which will allow owners of its new electric vehicles, the Mercedes-EQ EQE and Mercedes-EQ EQS, to access all the performance they are designed for. able to provide the electric motors of the vehicle they have purchased.

Specifically, Mercedes-EQ EQE and Mercedes-EQ EQS owners who pay $1,200 annually will unlock the remaining 20 to 24% performance that will be locked through software. Thus, the torque will increase, while the time from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour will be 0.8 to 0.9 seconds faster. The annual subscription does not include any upgrades to the car’s components. This is purely software that will unlock the full potential of the vehicle, allowing owners to make the most of what they have already purchased.

For the record, this new trend with features locked behind software comes at a time when global new car sales have declined. So manufacturers have started exploring new business models, selling software upgrades and subscriptions, to have a consistently high revenue stream.