If you thought streaming services were bad with their endless subscriptions, wait until you hear what Volkswagen is doing.
The automaker just rolled out a subscription plan in the U.K. that charges drivers extra to unlock the full horsepower of their electric cars. Yes, you read that right – speed now comes with a monthly fee.
Would You Pay an Extra $22 a Month?
Here’s how it works: take the Volkswagen ID.3, an electric hatchback that technically has 228 horsepower under the hood. Unless you’re willing to cough up £16.50 a month (~$22), you’ll only be able to access 201 horsepower. So, your car is literally being held back until you pay to set it free.
VW claims they’re just “giving people options”
Volkswagen is trying to spin this as “giving people options.” The company argues that some drivers don’t need the full power – like if you’re more of a Sunday driver than a speed demon. But if you want the extra zip, you’ll have to subscribe.
The costs break down like this: In U.S. dollars, it’s around $22 per month or $225 if you pay for the full year up front. There’s also an option to purchase a one-time unlock for $880. Volkswagen says if you go with that one, it stays unlocked even if you sell the car later on. Think of it as DLC (downloadable content) for your vehicle, but with horsepower instead of new skins.
It’s not a totally novel idea
Not surprisingly, people are calling it out as just another way for automakers to nickel-and-dime their customers. And they have a point, becuase this isn’t the first time we’ve seen something like it.
BMW once tried charging U.K. drivers a subscription to use their heated seats, but the backlash was so intense that they scrapped the idea.
Volkswagen insists it’s no big deal
They’re comparing it to gas and diesel cars that have long been offered in different power levels, even with the same engine size. The difference, of course, is that those choices used to be made when you bought the car – not afterward, and with a monthly invoice attached.
For now, the horsepower paywall is limited to the U.K., and there’s no word yet on whether Volkswagen plans to expand it to the U.S. But given how drivers reacted to BMW’s heated seat stunt, they might want to tread carefully.
Would you pay extra to unlock the full performance of your car, or is this a bridge too far? One thing’s for sure: the debate over “pay-to-play” driving has officially hit the fast lane.