Mercedes Speed Demons Will Have To Pay To Go Fast – SlashGear

In this case, Mercedes-Benz is selling owners of its all-electric EQ lineup a subscription to increase the maximum power output of the on-board electric motors. According to the Acceleration Increase store page, the models in the EQ lineup that are eligible for the upgrade are the EQE 350 4MATIC, EQS SUV 350 4MATIC, EQS 450 4MATIC, and EQS SUV 450 4MATIC, and it will come in at a cost of $1,200 per year, excluding tax. The automaker claims that the upgrade increases performance by applying performance tuning to the motors that increases both the power and torque output the motors are capable of.

According to Mercedes-Benz, claimed performance increases range from an additional 35 kW in the EQE 350 and EQE SUV 350 (from 215 kW to 260 kW), to an additional 65 kW in the EQS 450 and EQS SUV 450 (from 265 kW to 330 kW). The increased power and torque result in a fairly substantial increase in off-the-line performance, with Mercedes-Benz claiming that the 0-60 mph times will decrease by anything from 0.8 seconds to 1 second, with the EQS 450 4MATIC’s 0-60 time coming down to just 4.5 seconds.

Since the news broke, internet users have not reacted kindly, with many users on Reddit expressing a mixture of disappointment and outrage at the decision.