If you thought subscription fatigue was already creeping into your streaming accounts, Volkswagen is happy to add some more to your car. Over in the UK, entry-level ID.3 Pure models, listed as having 168 hp (170 kW) on VW’s configurator, actually have just 148 hp (110 kW) unless buyers pay an extra fee. Yes, Volkswagen is charging customers more to give the power their cars already have.

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As far as subscriptions go, this one is somewhat baffling. 20 horsepower and 33 lb-ft isn’t all that much to write home about. It’s such a small boost in power that Volkswagen says it won’t affect the overall range of the ID.3 at all.

The Cost of Extra Power

British drivers can cough up £16.50 (equal to $22.50 at current exchange rates) per month for the upgrade, almost three times the price of a basic Netflix subscription, or £165 ($225) per year. If you want to skip the monthly hassle, VW also offers a one-time “lifetime” payment of £649 ($878). It’s unclear whether that’s tied to the car or your user account, but either way, it’s a lot of cash for a modest performance bump.

According to AutoExpress, the added power won’t affect insurance rates. That’s great and all, but it’s because the ID.3 is rated at 168 hp from the factory, even if you’re driving around without the upgrade and, thus, with 20 fewer ponies. Only time will tell whether or not owners figure out how to hack this system – and if they do, whether this voids Volkswagen’s warranty or not.

Volkswagen’s Defense

On its part, Volkswagen compared this approach to traditional engine lineups, where the same displacement could be offered in multiple states of tune at different price points. In a statement to the magazine, the company said:

“Offering more power to customers is nothing new… These traditionally are higher up in the product range, with more specification and a higher list price. If customers wish to have an even sportier driving experience, they now have an option to do so, within the life of the vehicle, rather than committing from the outset with a higher initial purchase price. The car is presented on the configurator with [201bhp], with the option made very clear to customers.”

Subscriptions, Subscriptions Everywhere

Obviously, the VW ID.3 is far from the only one playing the subscription game. This isn’t even the only subscription available from the German brand. It’ll also sell customers ambient lighting, navigation, voice control, and even heated seats via subscription

And it’s hardly alone. BMW, Mercedes, and Tesla all offer similar unlocks, though when it comes to performance, most rivals deliver more value per dollar.

Ford offers 100 lb-ft (135 Nm) of torque for $995, Polestar 68 more horsepower for $1,195, and Mercedes 60-110 hp for $1,200. Even gas-burning tunes from the factory offer more power per dollar than Volkswagen for doing little more than changing some code. Call me cynical, but that’s not shocking from what seems like the world’s least passionate automaker. 

Tesla fans get really excited when new features, trials, or beta programs arrive. That’s probably why very few people realized that a post on Reddit was just a prank by an overeager owner. They reported a birthday reward email supposedly from Tesla offering a 30-day horsepower boost. It turns out that before realizing it was a hoax, many took the chance to bash the US EV maker and other brands for paywall-blocked features.

More: Rivian Will Make You Pay For Extra Power And Range Your EV Already Has

Posted on Reddit’s Tesla Model 3 forum, the main feature was an image. It appeared to be an email directly from Tesla. “Happy Birthday! We are delighted to offer you an exclusive birthday gift: +50 Extra Horsepower,” it said. “Your Tesla has been upgraded with an additional 50 horsepower, effective for the next 30 days.”

A Convincing Fake

At first glance, it looks legitimate. The script looks realistic, the grammar is fine, and it appears to come from no-reply@Tesla.com. That was more than enough to fool several people. The top comments are full of people assuming it’s real. Some ask about future programs based on the idea, others joke about changing their birthday in the Tesla app, and others comment on their excitement about it.

At the same time, it left some fans feeling disillusioned and annoyed. Several made comments to that effect. “…is it just me that thinks that’s absolutely ridiculous? If I have the hardware, why would I pay to use the hardware? That’s like buying a computer with 16gb of ram, only having 12, and then getting an email “unlocking” the other 4gb for 30 days.

“Just… stupid. Either sell me the car without the extra horsepower (so, without the hardware that makes it possible)… or let me use all the horsepower it can produce. This is just… awful,” said one. After another commented on how cool it was that you could download extra horsepower, another responded, “You mean mildly infuriated it’s locked behind a paywall.”

A Familiar Practice

Of course, in this case, the birthday gift wasn’t real, but it’s not as if Tesla doesn’t offer similar products. As of this writing, buyers can unlock features that the hardware they own is already capable of, like additional range or speed.

Notably, Tesla is far from the only brand to offer this sort of thing. Several brands offer similar ‘subscription services’, from extra power to adaptive suspension. Unless buyers unite to condemn this type of practice, it’ll probably never end.

Credit: glebulon / Reddit