Full EV performance now comes with a monthly fee. Welcome to the subscription economy
The subscription model beloved of software is now creeping into cars.
Volkswagen has become the latest automaker to adopt the pricing structure. The German marque has introduced a monthly subscription fee to access the full performance of some of its ID.3 electric vehicles.
Auto Express spotted that the Volkswagen ID.3 Pro and Pro S were listed in the UK as producing 201bhp, but could hit 228bhp — if customers paid extra. For that extra 27bhp, buyers can pay £16.50 per month, £165 annually, or £649 for a lifetime subscription that transfers with the car if it’s resold.
Volkswagen described the add-on as an“optional power upgrade.”
“If customers wish to have an even sportier driving experience, they now have an option to do so, within the life of the vehicle, rather than committing from the outset with a higher initial purchase price,”the company said in a statement.
Volkswagen is not the first automaker to introduce tiered subscription services. European brands have become particularly fond of the model, with the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Polestar all offering upgrades via monthly fees.
The companies argue that plans provide control, flexibility, and ongoing updates. They also give carmakers ongoing cash flow, upselling opportunities post-purchase, and a valuable source of customer data. In essence, they’re turning cars into platforms — replicating a model that’s become ubiquitous in software.
Gone are the days of one-off payments for apps. Subscriptions, popularised by Spotify, Netflix, and productivity apps in the early 2010s, are now the dominant model.
There’s even now a category of tools that cancel unwanted subscriptions. Naturally, they’re available by subscription.
The collective cost of these services can add up to vast sums. They can also leave us eternally paying for things we never own, dependent on providers that can raise their prices or remove features on a whim.
We could, of course, simply not pay and lose access to all these services. Better yet, we could spark a good old-fashioned outcry. It worked for BMW customers, whose fury over monthly fees for heated seats already in their cars led the company to scrap the plans.
Alternatively, we could simply wait for subscription creep to spread across our entire lives, until some tech lord starts charging a monthly fee for the air we breathe. I’ll be voting with my wallet — and heroically protesting from the comfort of my keyboard.
