Subscriptions are quickly becoming the bane of the modern automobile, but that hasn’t stopped Mercedes from launching their controversial performance subscription for electric vehicles.
Officially known as the “Acceleration Increase On-Demand upgrade,” it brings neutering to the comfort of your own driveway. While that might be a little overdramatic, customers will have to pay if they want increased performance.
If you happen to own an EQE 350 4MATIC or EQE 350 4MATIC SUV in the United States, you can shell out $60 per month or $600 per year to increase the output from 288 hp (215 kW / 292 PS) to 348 hp (260 kW / 353 PS). This drops the 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time by roughly one second and customers can also make a one-time payment of $1,950.
To make deciding even more complicated, the EQE 350 4MATIC starts at $77,900 and the $1,950 upgrade brings the total price to $79,850. That’s only $6,050 less than the EQE 500 4MATIC, which has 402 hp (300 kW / 408 PS) and 12 more features – if Mercedes’ consumer website is correct.
More: Would You Pay An Automaker To Unlock Extra Power In Your EV?
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If you happen to own an EQS 450 4MATIC or EQS 450 4MATIC SUV, the performance tax is even higher as it costs more than $1 per horsepower. In particular, the upgrade is $90 per month, $900 per year, or $2,950 for the “lifetime of [the] vehicle.”
The upgrade sees the output climb from 355 hp (265 kW / 360 PS) to 435 hp (324 kW / 441 PS), for an increase of 80 hp (60 kW / 81 PS). In the sedan, it lowers the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time from 5.3 seconds to 4.5 seconds.
Owners can get the upgrade from shop.mbusa.com and the automaker said the improved performance doesn’t have an impact on range. Mercedes also pointed out customers can get an assortment of other upgrades including a dashcam and a valet mode that limits vehicles to 50 mph (80 km/h).
Interestingly, Mercedes seemed to acknowledge the backlash to subscriptions as they pointed out “hardwired, standard features, such as heated seats, will not be offered as digital extras.” The automaker also pointed out that customers aren’t limited to monthly or yearly subscriptions as they can buy On-Demand features for life.