Mercedes-Benz locks horsepower behind paid subscription
Mercedes initially marketed and sold their EQE 350 and EQS 450 models with a lower power output than the hardware was capable of delivering. The company later introduced a paid software upgrade that unlocked the vehicles' full performance potential.
Background[edit | edit source]
In April 2023, Mercedes launched "Acceleration Increase" for North American customer, a performance acceleration on-demand upgrade available for the EQE 350 and EQS 450 in both sedan and SUV body styles. The upgrade allows customers to access the full capabilities of the vehicle's existing hardware.[1][2][3]
This is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a growing trend among automakers to base their business models on recurring revenue generated through subscription services that sell Features on Demand (FoD).
How it works[edit | edit source]
The Acceleration Increase is available as a one-time purchase or as a monthly or yearly subscription, offering performance increases of up to 80 hp and a 1.0-second improvement in 0–60 mph acceleration.[1]
Below are the detailed performance upgrades and pricing for all affected models:[1]
| Model | Output Increase | Acceleration Change
(0-60 mph) |
Pricing |
| EQE 350 4MATIC Sedan | From 288 hp to 348 hp (+60 hp) | From 6.0 s to 5.1 s (-0.9 s) | Monthly: $60/month
Yearly: $600/year Lifetime of Vehicle: $1,950 |
| EQE 350 4MATIC SUV | From 288 hp to 348 hp (+60 hp) | From 6.2 s to 5.2 s (-1.0 s) | Monthly: $60/month
Yearly: $600/year Lifetime of Vehicle: $1,950 |
| EQS 450 4MATIC Sedan | From 355 hp to 435 hp (+80 hp) | From 5.3 s to 4.5 s (-0.8 s) | Monthly: $90/month
Yearly: $900/year Lifetime of Vehicle: $2,950 |
| EQS 450 4MATIC SUV | From 355 hp to 435 hp (+80 hp) | From 5.8 s to 4.9 s (-0.9 s) | Monthly: $90/month
Yearly: $900/year Lifetime of Vehicle: $2,950 |
This means that these vehicles were initially marketed has having lower power than their hardware was actually capable of.
See also[edit | edit source]
- BMW feature lockout scandal
- Mazda remote-start subscription
- BMW's heated seat subscription
- Software locks
- Audi Basic HVAC "Sync" Function Paywalled
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Mercedes-Benz USA Announces Performance Acceleration On-Demand Upgrade for EQE and EQS Customers". media.mbusa.com. 26 Apr 2023. Retrieved 21 Aug 2025.
- ↑ Bell, Sebastien (22 Nov 2022). "Mercedes Releases A $1,200 Annual Subscription To Unlock A 60 To 110 HP For Its EVs". carscoops.com. Retrieved 21 Aug 2025.
- ↑ Stafford, Eric (26 Apr 2023). "Mercedes Reveals EQE and EQS 'Acceleration Increase' Subscription Pricing". caranddriver.com. Retrieved 21 Aug 2025.