Nowadays, it seems that corporations have prioritized profits over people in countless, creative ways, leaving little room for new approaches — yet they still manage to innovate in this regard.
Amid the recent rollout of Volkswagen’s ID.3 electric vehicle, the German automaker announced a novel pricing plan specifically for the Pro and Pro S models, according to Auto Express. The upper tier of each vehicle’s capabilities will cost £16.50 per month, or approximately $22.30.
That’s right: Volkswagen plans to literally put part of its car behind a subscription paywall.
It’s kind of like Netflix or The New York Times, except vehicles are a necessity of daily life for many people, particularly those without access to reliable public transportation.
For their part, Volkswagen openly acknowledged the new pricing plan for options in a statement.
“Offering more power to customers is nothing new. … If customers wish to have an even sportier driving experience, they now have an option to do so. … The car is presented on the configurator with [201 brake horsepower], with the option made very clear to customers,” it read in part, per Auto Express.
To be fair, Volkswagen’s public relations team earned its keep, making the new pricing plan sound somewhat reasonable.
However, it remains an audacious move, particularly when much of the world is grappling with extreme subscription fatigue. Consumers are at their wits’ end as corporations continue to raise prices, seemingly unmoved by the economic pressures their customers face.
This applies to electric vehicles as well. Volkswagen may be just one EV manufacturer in a growing market, but actions like these can harm the public’s perception of EV ownership and hinder the widespread adoption of these vehicles.
A discussion about Volkswagen’s new plan erupted on Reddit’s r/Piracy, with most users predictably annoyed by the idea.
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“Isn’t that illegal?” one person asked. Another commenter half-jokingly answered: “It’s 2025, nothing is illegal anymore.”
“Never buying any car with any kind of subscription involved,” a user vowed in response.
A top-rated response simply swerved around the controversy with the simplest, most practical option: “This is easily bypassed by not buying a Volkswagen.”
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