$1,200/year subscription to unlock your Benz’s performance….

[Cru Jones]

I’m not against EVs. I could see myself making the leap at some point.

But, paying a yearly subscription of $1,200 to unlock the car’s full potential?

No thanks Mercedes-Benz.


“Mercedes-Benz To Offer More Power As $1,200 Subscription In Its EVs

The yearly subscription will unlock more power and performance from the EQE and EQS electric sedans and SUVs.”

Read more:

https://insideevs.com/news/622871/me...on-in-its-evs/

[TheDude]

Tesla has had an Acceleration Boost upgrade for a while. It’s a one-time fee though…

https://www.notateslaapp.com/tesla-r...complete-guide

I’d argue with the characterization of “full potential”. Potential for what? The upgrade is software for the motor controller. It’s still striking a balance between power and range and doesn’t maximize for either. I agree that a subscription is crappy but the upgrade is licensed software which opens the door for this sort of thing.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vince M.]

All the mfg's are trying to move to the subscription based amenities. In one sense I like it because base cars will come fully optioned then you know someone will find a way to hack the system to permanently unlock all the options for a small price.

[RW16610]

I wouldn't do it, personally.

[dddrees]

More expensive for the Mercedes is all, but in order for me to start my vehicle remotely GM requires a monthly fee. For those who live somewhere that gets cold that’s a pretty handy feature.

[MrGoat]

I’m all for it if it means the industry will start designing cars to last 10 yrs or more again.


Sent from my Apple privacy invasion product

[Trailboss516]

Next you'll have to subscribe to get tires, a windshield, and seat heaters (actually that's probably a thing)

[TheDude]

I do see why MB might not want the extra speed and more aggressive power curve on all of the Benz EVs. I’m sure a significant portion of the buyers want their Benz to be tepid and not scary. With that said, just make an AMG that is performance oriented and set the purchase price high enough to meet the revenue targets.

I feel like this is just an opportunistic grab that recognizes the buying habits of the typical EV buyer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kieselguhr]

“Additional 150mi range only $199 a month!”

[Vince M.]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

“Additional 150mi range only $199 a month!”

Or, " increase your charging speed for $XXX " .

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

“Additional 150mi range only $199 a month!”

Right?

[pickettt]

The entire subscription model is going to impact your lives in ways you haven't even begun to think of yet.

[Vince M.]

The have said " you'll own nothing and be happy ". Sounds like we're in for good times.. :/

[Db7566]

Originally Posted by pickettt

The entire subscription model is going to impact your lives in ways you haven't even begun to think of yet.

Go on…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[denmanproject]

Originally Posted by Trailboss516

Next you'll have to subscribe to get tires, a windshield, and seat heaters (actually that's probably a thing)

Yup it is

https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/12/2...-seats-feature

[Cru Jones]

I didn’t realize this subscription approach was a “thing” already. I guess I’ll just have to learn to accept it. Thanks for the replies.

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

“Additional 150mi range only $199 a month!”

Really funny. And really scary.

[Flex368]

SaaS

Steering wheel as a service.

[minute_man]

Originally Posted by pickettt

The entire subscription model is going to impact your lives in ways you haven't even begun to think of yet.

Agreed! Definitive, one-off solutions isn't where the money's at

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by pickettt

The entire subscription model is going to impact your lives in ways you haven't even begun to think of yet.

Different but the Same. Once the new model gets a foothold your going to see it everywhere.

I guess I don't get out much. But I was surprised a few months ago when my family went to an aquarium in Cincinatti and found they charged variable rates depending on demand. I call it the airline pricing model. The rpoduct didn't necessarily get more expensive it's just more people are driving up the demand and they can charge you more for it. I believe that's where it first appeared, and now that occurs not only on hotels, rental cars, and aquariums as well.

Hell, it seems that's how they have been pricing food lately as well.

Supply and Demand

Agreed, pretty sure subscription based pricing is here to stay.

I think Microsoft and Microsoft Office was the first place I remember seeing this kind of thing taking place.

[TheDude]

Originally Posted by dddrees

Different but the Same. Once the new model gets a foothold your going to see it everywhere.

I guess I don't get out much. But I was surprised a few months ago when my family went to an aquarium in Cincinatti and found they charged variable rates depending on demand. I call it the airline pricing model. The rpoduct didn't necessarily get more expensive it's just more people are driving up the demand and they can charge you more for it. I believe that's where it first appeared, and now that occurs not only on hotels, rental cars, and aquariums as well.

Hell, it seems that's how they have been pricing food lately as well.

Supply and Demand

Agreed, pretty sure subscription based pricing is here to stay.

I think Microsoft and Microsoft Office was the first place I remember seeing this kind of thing taking place.

Demand pricing is normal for lots of things. Toll roads in busy metro areas. Parking.

Electricity - we all know peak and non-peak costs are different. I live in a state where using the Tesla Supercharger at night costs half of what it does during the day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by TheDude

Demand pricing is normal for lots of things. Toll roads in busy metro areas. Parking.

Electricity - we all know peak and non-peak costs are different. I live in a state where using the Tesla Supercharger at night costs half of what it does during the day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It’s normal now and even more prevalent than it used to be and that was my point. Maybe it’s my memory or I’m showing my age but I don’t remember it being this way back in the 70s with as many things.

[ltmgeller]

If I had the vehicle, I'd probably sign up.

[77T]

Volvo has done a similar thing with the T5’s - even the V90. You pay for a Polestar upgrade - but at least it’s a one-time charge.

That’s basically an unlock since it takes all of 20 minutes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by pickettt

The entire subscription model is going to impact your lives in ways you haven't even begun to think of yet.

Taking a man’s whole paycheck isn’t enough. They need to lock up all of his future paychecks, as well.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

Taking a man’s whole paycheck isn’t enough. They need to lock up all of his future paychecks, as well.

Same thing goes for TV and radio. I attempted the non-subscription radio not long ago and it became very obvious that just wasn’t going to work anymore, not at least for me anyway. I just wasn’t able to find anything worth listening to on the regular radio any longer.

[INC]

Originally Posted by 77T

Volvo has done a similar thing with the T5’s - even the V90. You pay for a Polestar upgrade - but at least it’s a one-time charge.

I have absolutely no problem with a one-time fee, as it's a feature and not a bug. This is an option after the purchase, and in this form it's cheap compared to retrofitting a module. I know, that Audi has this kind of "features", and probably all of the main brands acts like this. So if you have some aftermarket can-bus adapters, you can turn on several features in your car on your own.

Therefore for me in this case the incorrect thing is the recurrance fee, as this way they remove a feature just to ask money for it. In such a high-priced car this is more then shocking for me, as it's not fair.

[Chewbacca]

I wouldn’t but I can see why. EVs have far fewer service needs to support dealers and the driver data and subscriptions need to fill the recurring revenue gap. And it’s a Mercedes so their $1200 unlock becomes a differentiator Mercedes and all EVs need because they’re all so similar with the exception of the tech and Easter egg options they’ll be able to control. Because Apple, Android and battery makers aren’t going to share their IP.

[kieselguhr]

Subscriptions on top of already having paid for the full product was a thing since early 2000s. I saw it prominently in video games during college. They even threw in a micro transactions model and that was swallowed whole.

A whole generation and every subsequent generation thereafter trained very well to be receptive to subscription and micro transaction consumer models from a young age.

[OverGeared]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

Subscriptions on top of already having paid for the full product was a thing since early 2000s. I saw it prominently in video games during college. They even threw in a micro transactions model and that was swallowed whole.

A whole generation and every subsequent generation thereafter trained very well to be receptive to subscription and micro transaction consumer models from a young age.

I was already writing this near-exact response in my head and I'm glad I scrolled and read all the responses first. This guy is exactly right. Two generations now (millennials and Gen Z) have been raised via gaming with the notion that subscription fees for something you already purchased is a perfectly normal idea. It's in games, it's in music services, and now we're seeing it in cars. Why charge someone a dollar today when you can get thirty-five cents from them every month for five years, right?

Late-stage capitalism has evolved into an all-consuming monster that won't stop until there's just one person left in the world, sitting on a giant pile of gold like Smaug in "The Hobbit."