Mercedes affords ‘Acceleration Enhance’ — as a $1,200 subscription

Over-the-air updates have made it straightforward for automakers so as to add options and make fixes to sure automobile programs remotely. On the similar time, the elevated connectivity has made it doable or some automakers to withhold options and prohibit entry to added-cost subscription packages. Mercedes-Benz EV consumers are the newest group to face such frustrations, because the automaker is providing subscription-based “Acceleration Enhance” providers for all new EQ fashions.

The Drive reported that EQ house owners might improve their autos with a $1,200/12 months Acceleration Enhance package deal. Mercedes says the package deal brings faster acceleration and an enchancment in torque output. Relying on the mannequin, the output can improve by as a lot as 24%. The EQE 350 4Matic SUV sees essentially the most dramatic drop in acceleration occasions, transferring from a 6.2-second 0-60 mph time to a 5.2-second run. Even the big EQS SUV drops from 5.8 seconds to 4.5 seconds.

These are greater than respectable efficiency features, however as a purchaser, it’d be laborious to not surprise why the automotive didn’t simply do these issues to start with. The {hardware} is already in place, so it’s not like Mercedes has to do something to make the autos faster. On the similar time, these types of schemes are virtually universally unpopular, and never simply with journalists or folks with massive social media followings.

BMW affords heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and sprint cam options for month-to-month or one-time charges. It had beforehand rolled again plans to cost house owners a subscription payment for Apple CarPlay. Earlier this 12 months, lawmakers in New Jersey began the method of introducing laws banning automobile subscription providers. The invoice prohibits automakers and sellers from charging charges for the {hardware} already put in in autos.

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