Mercedes Prepares To Launch US Subscription Service

Want to put a new car in your driveway, but don’t want to commit to the ownership experience and all that entails? A subscription service may be just the ticket. And Mercedes will reportedly be the next to launch one in the United States.

Earlier this month, the automaker launched the Mercedes me Flexperience program in Germany. The service allows customers to subscribe to one of four classes of vehicle, and switch between various body-styles on demand.

Speaking with global sales chief Britta Seeger, Automotive News reports that a similar program is being prepared for the US market. However the decision has not been made as to which region will get the pilot program first. “We plan to have something ready within this year,” Seeger told AN. “We are currently in investigation in which area to try it out.”

Porsche currently offers such a program in Atlanta, where both it and Mercedes now base their US operations. Book by Cadillac is available in several US metropolitan areas. Lincoln is preparing to launch its own in California, where Hyundai also allows customers to subscribe to its Ioniq Electric vehicle. And both Volvo and its Polestar offshoot are launching subscription programs as well.

Mercedes’ Flexperience program allows clients to switch between 12 vehicles. Customers subscribe to the A-, C-, E-, or S-Class, and can take a sedan, for example, for business trips, a crossover for a family vacation, or a convertible for the weekend. Upgrades are also available: “For example, if you have your wedding day,” Seeger explained to AN, “and you are subscribed in a C-Class and you want an S-class cabriolet — you can, but you have to pay.”

Rather than circumventing its dealers, however, Mercedes is working closely with them to offer the subscription service. In fact, Seeger says, it’s the dealers that have asked for it. Some are even offering their own service until Mercedes launches one more universally. The program in Germany is being trialed through two of the automaker’s largest dealer groups. Between them, BERESA and LUEG operate 33 Mercedes passenger-car locations across the country.

“With Mercedes me Flexperience we have a new, fully digitalised mobility offering,” Seeger said in a statement announcing the program earlier this month. “This makes it easy for everyone to choose the appropriate Mercedes for every occasion. With Mercedes me Flexperience we are taking another step toward a complete package for individual mobility.”