Mercedes-Benz has begun rolling out an EV upgrade subscription for EQ owners that can boost acceleration from 0 to 60 mph to a full second. However, the $1,200 annual subscription has not yet been approved for sale in the EU. As a result, EQS or EQE owners closest to Mercedes-Benz’s home country of Germany can’t yet take advantage of the update.
As a legacy automaker, Mercedes-Benz has made bigger strides than many when it comes to electrifying its vehicle lineup. After starting deliveries of the EQS sedan last year, Mercedes followed up with a smaller EV sedan called the EQE, which we saw the official pricing update for earlier this month.
Furthermore, Mercedes announced that the SUV versions of both sedans will be built in the US at its Alabama facility. These four EVs are joined by a more US-friendly EQB SUV, as well as upcoming AMG versions of several EQ vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz EVs delivered all come capable of over-the-air (OTA) updates, allowing for easier upgrades to a model’s software, such as navigation and infotainment. Most recently, however, Mercedes-Benz is using its EV upgrade capabilities to offer a la carte performance options to current owners, similar to the paywalls that other German automakers like BMW already have.
Tesla sells an “Acceleration Boost” upgrade to current owners for an additional $2,000, unlocking the full potential of a given electric vehicle. Very soon, Mercedes-Benz will offer a similar $1,200 annual subscription, brilliantly named “Acceleration Increase,” but so far the upgrade is only available to electric vehicle owners in the US.
Mercedes EV update begins in US, could be permanent
According to the Mercedes-Benz landing page for the new Acceleration Increase subscription, fine-tuning the EQ model’s engines can increase their maximum power by 20-24% in addition to the added torque.
Conformable Automotive News Europe, the update will be rolled out in the US only to begin with, and has the ability to reduce 0-60 km/h acceleration times by a full second in the EQS and EQE sedans. The SUV versions should also see performance improvements. According to a spokesperson for the German automaker, however, European customers won’t have access to the EV update because Mercedes has yet to homologate it for sale in that region.
Back to those lucky US consumers, the spokesperson also said that the EV acceleration upgrade will start as an annual subscription, but will eventually be sold as a permanent add-on. The price for permanent access to enhanced acceleration has yet to be determined… or at least shared publicly.
Mercedes-Benz hasn’t said if and when the boost boost will make its way to EQ owners in the EU, but US drivers should soon see the purchase of the upgrade available.
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