Love them or detest them, subscriptions are right here to remain within the automotive business. They’re creating a brand new income stream by placing sure options behind a paywall. Normally, you possibly can both pay a payment to have entry to a sure perform for a restricted period of time or buy it outright. Having to pay additional for one thing your automotive already is provided with (and has been intentionally blocked) is difficult to swallow.
Mercedes was criticized in mid-July 2021 for charging the equal of €489 per yr in Germany for the superior rear-wheel steering system of the EQS. Customary in the US, the tech permits the rear wheels to steer at as much as 10 levels as an alternative of the standard 4.5 levels. When the three-pointed star introduced a brand new subscription plan to unlock extra energy for EQ fashions within the US, we figured it could solely be a matter of time earlier than homeowners of Euro-spec electrical automobiles can be allowed to do the identical.
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Because it seems, any such subscription – which prices $1,200 yearly for choose EQE and EQS sedan and SUV fashions – won’t be obtainable on the Previous Continent, a minimum of not in the intervening time. The Dutch version of High Gear journal spoke with a spokesperson from Mercedes’ native department about this delicate topic.
There are “authorized issues” stopping the posh model from providing an over-the-air replace that may derestrict the electrical motors. The corporate official kept away from going into every other particulars, nevertheless it seems as if there are authorized obstacles it wants to beat to make it potential.
It is value stating that the Polestar 2 obtained a Efficiency Software program Improve on the finish of final yr. It bumped the electrical motors from 408 to 476 horsepower (300 to 350 kilowatts) and from 660 to 680 Newton-meters (485 to 500 pound-feet) of torque. It additionally got here bundled with a launch management perform and revised pedal mapping for faster response.
Nonetheless, that was not launched as a month-to-month or yearly subscription, however slightly as a one-time improve to completely have the additional oomph.
