They won’t have to visit a Mercedes dealer to get the upgrade either, or even leave their own driveway. The added power, which will provide a nearly one second decrease in zero-to-60 acceleration, will be available through an over-the-air software patch. Buyers can bypass the monthly subscription completely however, and opt for an annual subscription payment or simply pay a one-time flat fee.
The upgrades do not change how far the vehicles can drive on a charge, according to Mercedes, assuming normal driving. Subscription upgrades like this would never allow owners of entry- or mid-level models to approach the power levels of more expensive upper-level models, said Markus Rossmann, manager for connected car and digital sales at Mercedes-Benz USA.