I'm not defending this, nor promoting. TBH, this is similar to what BMW is doing with heated seats...the hardware is in the car, but you have to pay to option i

I'm not defending this, nor promoting. TBH, this is similar to what BMW is doing with heated seats...the hardware is in the car, but you have to pay to option it in. /smh. Regardless... based the info in the article, you can bypass this particular monthly cost, and pay upfront. Nothing unusual about charging for options... other than this is an option already built into the car, that you pay extra to enable. From the article: Buyers can bypass the monthly subscription completely however, and opt for an annual subscription payment or simply pay a one-time flat fee. For instance, a buyer could take an all-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 sedan from its standard 288 horsepower to 348 permanently for $1,950." This type of option add is similar to Tesla, who charges $2k (no monthly option) for "performance boost" on their model 3 and Y, and $15k for their FSD (don't get me started on this feature), which has a $200/mo option.