The German car manufacturer Volkswagen (VW) has introduced a subscription for customers in the UK who want to increase the power of some of its electric cars.
Those who purchase an eligible car from the ID.3 range can choose to pay extra if they wish to unlock the full power of the engine, reports BBC.
VW announced that the "optional power upgrade" will cost £16.50 (€19.12) per month or £165 (€191.24) annually. However, customers can also choose to pay £649 (€804.35) for a lifetime subscription.
The company stated that through this feature, it "offers customers options."
According to Auto Express publication, a lifetime subscription will only be valid for the car, not for its owner - meaning the upgrade will remain with the car in case of resale.
A VW spokesperson explained that the option to purchase more power for a car is "nothing new." "Historically, many gasoline and diesel vehicles have been offered with engines of the same size, but with the possibility to choose one with higher power," they said.
The representative of the German manufacturer added that power upgrades would allow customers to opt for a "sportier" driving experience at any time, "instead of committing to a higher initial purchase price from the start."
However, such offers have proven controversial for some customers in the past, dissatisfied that they might have to pay to access features that - in some cases - are already present in the car they own, notes BBC.
Other vehicle manufacturers, such as BMW, have introduced similar subscription-based options in the past, such as those for heated seats and steering wheels.
Mercedes also introduced in 2022 an online subscription service in the US, allowing customers to pay to accelerate electric cars more quickly.
According to a survey conducted by S&P Global, some customers may be deterred by the cost of car subscriptions for features such as connectivity or the segmentation of basic functions into payment tiers. The number of respondents willing to pay for connected services decreased from 86% in 2024 to 68% in 2025.
This is happening despite a general adoption of subscriptions, with market research firm Juniper Research estimating that by 2028, the global subscription-based economy will reach a value of nearly $1 trillion by 2028.
T.D.