From Transport Evolved.

Not so long ago, if you purchased a car, you owned (or had access to) all of the features in that car. But as more control of our vehicles have been handed over to computers, automakers are jumping at the chance to hide features behind paywalls and subscription services.

As BMW and others have learned, customers don’t like being asked to pay for something that’s already in their vehicles, yet Volkswagen has just announced its intent to offer exactly that in its ID.3

While its ID.3 Pro and ID.3 Pro S come with the same sized electric motor, the more affordable ID.3 Pro’s motor is electronically limited to 150 kilowatts, while its longer-legged sibling is given access to the full 170 kilowatts the motor can produce. Now Volkswagen wants to let customers unlock the extra 20 kilowatts available to the ID.3 Pro by making a one-off payment, or subscribing to the extra power through a monthly payment.

But while Volkswagen thinks customers will opt for the feature, we’re more convinced than ever it will just prompt third-party and enthusiasts to try and figure out new ways to get more power out – for less… without paying Volkswagen.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 – 🎬 Introduction
04:32 – 🧐 Do you "really" own it?
04:51 – 📱 It started with computers and smartphones
05:27 – 🔧 Even when repairs are allowed, they’re intentionally difficult
07:07 – 🚗 Volkswagen’s "Performance Unlock"
11:07 – 💻 There are some other software unlocks, too.
12:01 – 🕵️ It will be hacked
14:04 – 🛠️ Hacking/Reverse Engineering is Inevitable
19:12 – 😈 It’s a tease, begging for aftermarket mods
19:58 – 👋 Thanks, and Goodbye!

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🎙️ Credits:

Host & Script: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Camera, Edit & Color: Vi Horton
Art & Animation: Erin Carlie
Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Music: via Artlist.io
© Transport Evolved LLC, 2025

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