Volkswagen wants you to pay a Netflix-style subscription to unlock extra EV power – and that could be a slippery slope

• Volkswagen offers an "optional power upgrade for a fee" on two cars
• The performance upgrade increases power by 27bhp
• Subscription packages have previously attracted criticism from buyers

Volkswagen will make customers pay an additional fee to unlock the full power of the ID 3 Pro and ID3 Pro S models it has been revealed, with £16.50 (around £22 / AU$34) per month required to gain access to the vehicle’s full 228bhp.

Auto Express uncovered that both models were listed as producing 150kW or 201 horsepower on the company’s UK configurator, with the small print revealing that owners could only access the full 228hp (170kW) factory capability via an "optional power upgrade for a fee.”

Buyers can choose to pay monthly, in which case the vehicle would return to its lower power setting when sold, or part with £649 (around $880 / AU$1,350) for a one-time lifetime fee that stays with the vehicle.

In a statement provided to Auto Express, a Volkswagen spokesperson said that offering more power to customers is “nothing new” and that those looking to purchase an ID 3 can choose to have a "sportier driving experience" without having to commit to a more expensive vehicle from the outset.

Volkswagen is also not the first or only manufacturer to offer additional performance that can be unlocked for a fee, as the Polestar Engineered Optimization program can improve the power delivery of both Polestar and Volvo models.

Essentially, the software upgrade 're-maps' the engine, tweaks throttle response and improves the speed of automatic gear changes for a more aggressive drive, but does so without the risk of voiding the manufacturer’s warranty.

Gearing up for a subscriptions-based future

Unlocking a little extra performance is nothing new, as there are hundreds of aftermarket companies that will tease a few more horses out of an engine if you are willing to void your manufacturer warranty.

That said, we are entering a new era of the Software Defined Vehicle where a number of upgrades and improvements are now available over a simple over-the-air update.

Tesla allows its customers to take advantage of its highly autonomous driving modes for a fee, for example, while Polestar offers performance upgrades on Polestar 2 models.

Many industry experts I have spoken to openly admit that offering both digital and physical features via a subscription presents a lucrative business case to manufacturers that are looking to claw back losses from tepid EV sales and ensure future profitability.

But the approach hasn’t gone down well with sectors of the paying public, as BMW drew heavy criticism when it asked its customers to pay an additional fee for features like heated seats.

The company said it would allow owners to only take advantage of the technology when required (for example, in the depths of winter) but customers demanded access to a feature that they felt should have been part of the list price.

While unlocking a little extra performance on-demand sounds like fun, some buyers will be wary of automakers charging a recurring fee for features that would have previously come as standard (or a one-off optional payment) on a new vehicle.

It could also be the case that paying a small fee each month to unlock a feature becomes more expensive than it was when customers could option it outright, with Netflix-style incremental price increases making motoring more expensive than it needs to be.

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