Polestar Charges $17.50 Per Horsepower For Boost Package As Microtransactions Invade Car Industry

We’ve come across what could be another automotive company intentionally detuning engines so it can offer performance packages to customers via an over-the-air update. 

Swedish EV car company Polestar, a subsidiary of Volvo and Geely, is charging customers $17.50 per horsepower in an over-the-air software update for the long-range, dual-motor variant of the 2, reported Autoblog. 

The upgrade adds 68 horsepower and 15 pound-feet of torque that boosts the 2’s dual-motor powertrain from 408hp and 487 lb-ft of torque to 476hp and 502 lb-ft. It will cost a one-time fee of $1,195.

What is intriguing about Polestar’s performance boost package blocked behind a paywall is that the power is already there and may suggest the company is intentionally detuning the vehicles to milk the customer for every last cent. 

Polestar isn’t the only one doing this. Just weeks ago, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the “Acceleration Increase” package for its EV Mercedes-EQ models, which costs $1,200 for a yearly subscription and will boost horsepower. 

And it gets worse. BMW recently sparked social media uproar by charging an $18 monthly subscription in some countries for owners to use heated seats already installed in the vehicle. 

So far, Polestar, Mercedes, and BMW have embraced microtransactions, which force customers to make in-car purchases to enhance or unlock features.