You’re staring at your screen at 11 PM. Another tab with another “BEST EV LEASE DEALS!” article. That $189 payment looks incredible, but your stomach twists. What’s the catch? Did you already miss the window when that tax credit vanished in September? And why does every single deal feel like it’s written in a secret language designed to confuse you?
Here’s what nobody’s saying out loud: Yes, the game changed when the federal $7,500 tax credit ended on September 30, 2025. But some deals right now are actually better than they were before. Not all of them. Not even most. But the real ones are hiding in plain sight, buried under confusing jargon and regional fine print that makes your head spin.
This isn’t another robotic list of 47 models you’ll scroll past. We’re cutting through the noise together. You’ll learn what really happened when the tax credit disappeared, how to spot the three magic numbers that reveal if a deal is legitimate, which hidden costs will ambush you at lease-end, and most importantly, how to walk into this with confidence instead of dread. Let’s find you a deal that doesn’t keep you up at night wondering if you got played.
Keynote: Best EV Lease Deal
The best EV lease deals in November 2025 leverage manufacturer-funded lease cash that replaced the expired federal $7,500 tax credit. Focus on effective monthly cost (advertised payment plus prorated down payment) rather than just the monthly payment. Hyundai’s $17,000 lease cash on the IONIQ 5, Kia’s $10,000 customer cash, and state incentives like Colorado’s $6,000 point-of-sale rebate create genuine affordability despite the subsidy cliff.
What Really Happened When September 30th Came and Went
The Panic That Nobody Prepared You For
Remember late August? The panic was real. Dealers saw their parking lots flood with desperate shoppers convinced October would bring pricing disaster. Your fear of missing the last good deal wasn’t irrational. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” killed the federal clean vehicle credit of up to $7,500 for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025. Dead. Gone. No phase-out period, no grace window.
Most shoppers assumed EV prices would skyrocket overnight. The math seemed simple: lose $7,500 in federal help, pay $7,500 more. Except that’s not what happened.
The surprise twist? Many automakers absorbed the loss themselves. They had to. Because September 30th also killed the “lease loophole” that let manufacturers’ financing arms claim the Commercial Clean Vehicle Tax Credit and pass it to you as lease cash. Everyone expected lease payments to double. Instead, something strange happened.
Why Some Deals Got Better and Others Vanished Overnight
The market split into winners and losers faster than anyone predicted. Here’s what actually went down:
The Winners (Manufacturers Who Stepped Up):
- Hyundai maintained similar pricing with up to $17,000 in manufacturer lease cash on the IONIQ 5
- Kia launched $10,000 customer cash across its entire EV lineup
- Honda threw nearly $17,000 in incentives at the Prologue SUV
- GM kept Equinox EV deals competitive despite losing federal support
The Losers (Manufacturers Who Retreated):
- Volkswagen ID.4 leases jumped from $230/month effective to over $800/month
- Ford pulled most Mach-E deals or tripled down payments (though they’ve since recovered)
- Stellantis initially vanished from competitive lease offers (except for the wild Charger Daytona deals)
This created the worst landscape in years for some brands, but hidden gems for others. The difference? Manufacturer commitment to funding their own incentives rather than relying on federal subsidies.
The “Lease Cash” Era: Your New Power Move
Here’s why this shift might actually work in your favor. Before September 30th, that $7,500 federal credit came with strings: income limits, price caps, battery sourcing requirements, North American assembly rules. Miss one checkbox and you got nothing.
Now? Automakers compete with their own money through direct lease cash incentives. Hyundai doesn’t care about your income or where the battery was made. They need to move EVs, and they’ll subsidize your lease to do it. This lease cash applies directly to your capitalized cost, lowering your real price instantly before any negotiation happens.
You actually have more leverage now. They need to move inventory regardless of federal help. The deal you want exists, but it requires knowing what to ask for. That’s where the three magic numbers come in.
The Three Magic Numbers That Unlock Every EV Lease Deal
Capitalized Cost: The Real Price Nobody Wants You to Negotiate
Think of capitalized cost as the sticker price’s evil twin. It’s what you’re actually paying for the car after all the smoke and mirrors clear. Every dealer fee, every add-on, every mysterious “market adjustment” lives here before your monthly payment gets calculated.
This is your battlefield. Never walk into a dealership and ask “what monthly payment works for you.” That’s like asking a poker player to deal the cards. Instead, negotiate the cap cost first. Get them to show you the MSRP, then the dealer discount (if any), then subtract all manufacturer incentives and lease cash.
A $2,000 drop in cap cost saves you roughly $55 monthly over 36 months. That’s $55 every single month you could spend on something that actually matters to you, not enriching the dealer’s margin.
My colleague in Colorado just leased an IONIQ 5. The first dealer quoted him a cap cost that was $3,500 higher than MSRP after “fees.” He walked. The second dealer matched MSRP minus the full $17,000 Hyundai lease cash. Same car. $97 difference in monthly payment. All because he knew to ask for the capitalized cost breakdown first.
Money Factor: The Tiny Decimal That Costs You Thousands
The money factor looks like 0.00125, but it’s just your interest rate wearing a disguise. Dealers love this format because your eyes glaze over. You can’t tell if 0.00180 is good or terrible at a glance.
Here’s your 10-second conversion: Multiply any money factor by 2,400 to get the equivalent APR. That 0.00125 becomes 3% APR. Suddenly you can evaluate it. Is 3% competitive right now? Yes. Is 6% (money factor of 0.0025)? No.
And here’s the dirty secret: dealers can mark this up. The bank sets a “buy rate” (the minimum money factor they’ll accept), but the dealer can add profit on top and pocket the difference. Always ask for the manufacturer’s buy rate so you know if you’re getting marked up.
In late 2025, anything under 0.002 is excellent territory. That equals 4.8% APR. The best Hyundai and Kia deals I’m seeing right now are running money factors around 0.00013 to 0.00026, which translates to 0.3% to 0.6% APR. That’s basically free money.
Residual Value: The Future Worth That Lowers Your Payment Today
Residual value is the bank’s prediction of what the car will be worth at lease-end, expressed as a percentage of MSRP. A higher residual equals a lower monthly payment because you’re paying less depreciation.
Think of it this way: If a $50,000 car has a 60% residual after 36 months, you’re only paying for $20,000 of depreciation ($50,000 minus $30,000). If that same car has a 65% residual, you’re only paying $17,500 of depreciation. That $2,500 difference divided by 36 months saves you $69 monthly.
EVs with strong residuals right now include the Hyundai IONIQ models (62% for 24-month leases), Tesla Model 3 (around 58%), and Subaru Solterra. Banks are actually inflating EV residuals to keep payments competitive, which is why leasing beats buying right now. You avoid the depreciation cliff completely by handing the keys back in three years and walking away.
Decoding “Effective Monthly Cost” So You Stop Getting Fooled
Why That $189 Payment Is Actually $300
Every advertised lease deal you see is lying to you. Not maliciously, but by omission. That “$189/month” Hyundai IONIQ 5 isn’t really $189 out of pocket every month. Here’s the actual math:
Advertised: $189/month for 36 months, $3,999 due at signing Reality: $3,999 divided by 36 months equals $111 per month you’re prepaying Effective Monthly Cost: $189 + $111 = $300/month
Now compare that to the Subaru Solterra advertised at $279/month with only $279 due at signing:
- $279 divided by 36 months equals $7.75 prepaid monthly
- Effective monthly cost: $279 + $7.75 = $287/month
The Solterra is the cheaper deal despite the higher advertised payment. This is why you need to calculate effective monthly cost before you get excited about any offer.
| Model | Advertised Payment | Due at Signing | Effective Monthly Cost | True Winner? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 | $189/mo | $3,999 | $300/mo | No |
| Subaru Solterra | $279/mo | $279 | $287/mo | Yes |
| Chevy Equinox EV | $259/mo | $429 | $271/mo | Strong contender |
The “One Percent Rule” Sanity Check for Any Deal
Here’s your 30-second smell test before you waste time on a deal: Take the monthly payment (assuming $0 down) and divide it by the vehicle’s MSRP. Is that number close to or under 1.0 percent? You’re in good territory.
Example: A $44,200 MSRP IONIQ 5 with a true $300/month effective cost equals 0.68%. That’s solid. A $75,000 Dodge Charger Daytona at $175/month equals 0.23%. That’s a unicorn deal that defies logic (and won’t last).
Many strong EV lease deals right now are hitting 0.4% to 0.7% because of massive manufacturer lease cash. This is your “is this too good to be true” filter. If the math shows under 0.5%, dig deeper to understand why. It’s either stacked incentives creating genuine value, or hidden costs you haven’t spotted yet.
Regional Reality: Your ZIP Code Changes Everything
I learned this the hard way helping my sister in Ohio shop for an IONIQ 5. Every forum post showed $189 deals. Every article promised affordability. But when she contacted local dealers, the best offer was $349/month with $4,500 down. What gives?
California and Colorado deals dominate the advertised offers because manufacturers concentrate incentives there. Many of those “$189/month” promotions explicitly state “California Metro Area” or “West Coast only” in the microscopic footnote. Midwest and Southeast shoppers face a completely different market.
Your leverage is timing and inventory. Dealers sitting on high days-supply (cars aging on the lot for 60+ days) will negotiate harder. Use sites like CarsDirect or LeaseHackr to see what people in your actual region are paying, not what clickbait articles promise.
The Current EV Lease Landscape: What’s Actually Good Right Now
The Standout Champions Under $200 Advertised Monthly
Let’s talk about the deals that actually exist in November 2025, not fantasy numbers from expired promotions.
| Model | Advertised Monthly | Due at Signing | Term | Effective Cost | Regional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE | $189 | $3,999 | 36 mo | $300 | California heavy |
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 SE | $189 | $3,999 | 36 mo | $300 | Supported by $13k lease cash |
| 2025 Kia Niro EV | $169 | $3,000+ | 36 mo | $250-280 | Select markets only |
The IONIQ twins are fueled by up to $17,000 in Hyundai Motor Finance lease cash. That’s not a typo. Seventeen thousand dollars. This replaces the lost federal credit and then some. But remember: these deals often require excellent credit (Tier 1, typically 740+ score) and strong dealer relationships.
The Kia Niro EV at $169 is the lowest advertised payment I’ve verified, but availability is spotty and limited to specific dealers who stacked regional offers with the national $10,000 Kia customer cash.
The Sweet Spot: $200 to $300 Monthly With Real Value
This is where you’ll find the most realistic deals across the broadest geography.
2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV ($259-$279/month): The Equinox EV LT starts at just $33,600 MSRP, making it perfect for state incentive stacking. National offers show $279/month with $8,479 due, but regional dealers are advertising $177/month for 36 months with $3,500 down in markets like California. The key? That sub-$35,000 MSRP unlocks Colorado’s full $6,000 point-of-sale rebate.
2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E Select ($219-$283/month): Ford recovered from its initial post-tax-credit retreat. The Select RWD trim is now as low as $219/month for 24 months with $4,499 due in California markets, supported by up to $8,750 in manufacturer incentives. Shorter 24-month terms mean higher payments but keep you closer to evolving tech.
2025 Subaru Solterra ($279/month, $279 due): This is the dark horse nobody talks about. After a massive $6,500 MSRP reduction for 2025 (now starting at $38,495), the Solterra Premium offers the lowest effective monthly cost at $287 when you factor in the minimal due-at-signing. It’s based on Toyota’s bZ4X platform, shares parts and charging network access, and benefits from strong Subaru dealer networks in states where Tesla dominates conversations.
2025 Honda Prologue ($249-$289/month): Backed by nearly $17,000 in incentives, the Prologue Elite is running $289/month for 36 months with $3,899 due through Edmunds-listed dealers. Some regional Connecticut dealers are advertising $249/month, but these often require loyalty or conquest bonuses worth $2,000-$3,300 (meaning you’re trading in a Honda or switching from a competitor brand).
When 0% Financing Secretly Beats Any Lease Offer
Here’s the honest truth dealerships don’t want you thinking about: sometimes the best lease deal is not leasing at all.
Kia is offering 0% APR for 60 to 72 months plus up to $10,000 customer cash on EV models right now. Ford is running similar 0% financing on the Mustang Mach-E and Prologue. If you have the down payment and can invest the monthly payment difference, financing at 0% beats leasing long-term for wealth-building.
Let’s math this out. A $40,000 EV financed at 0% for 60 months equals $667/month. The same vehicle leased at $300/month looks cheaper, but you own nothing at the end. If you can afford the $667 and invest the difference in an index fund averaging 7% annual returns, you build equity while the lease path leaves you with zero assets.
Leasing makes sense if you value flexibility, fear depreciation, or know you’ll want the latest tech in three years. But ownership has benefits spreadsheets can’t measure: no mileage restrictions, no wear-and-tear anxiety, and the freedom to modify, road-trip, or sell whenever life changes.
The Hidden Costs That Turn “Cheap” Into Expensive Fast
The Mileage Trap: When Your Commute Becomes a Penalty
Picture this: You’re at the Subaru dealership about to hand back your Solterra after three years. The lease inspector walks around with a tablet, nodding, smiling. Everything looks good. Then they drop the bill: $4,200 for excess mileage.
You agreed to 10,000 miles per year (36,000 total). You drove 44,000. That’s 8,000 over at $0.25 per mile for luxury brands or $0.15-$0.20 for mainstream brands. The overage penalty hits like a surprise tax bill you can’t negotiate away.
The average American drives 13,476 miles yearly. Most people need the 15,000-mile option, not the 10,000 or 12,000 standard offers. Exceeding by just 5,000 miles over three years costs between $750 to $2,500 depending on the brand’s penalty rate.
Always buy extra miles upfront when signing. It’s cheaper. Going from 10k to 15k miles might add $15-25 monthly, but buying those 5,000 miles at turn-in costs you $1,000+. Be brutally honest about your real driving when you sign the paperwork.
Wear and Tear: The Subjective Nightmare at Return Time
My friend Tom returned his leased Model Y last spring. He thought he’d been careful. Lease inspector disagreed. The bill: $1,800 for “excessive wear” including:
- $400 for a cracked windshield (rock chip that spread)
- $600 for “worn tires below 4/32 tread depth”
- $350 for door dings exceeding “normal wear guidelines”
- $450 for interior stains on rear seats (his kids)
What counts as “excessive” versus “normal” is often subjective and dealer-dependent. Small door dings and minor scratches typically fall under normal wear protections. But bald tires, cracked glass, significant interior damage, and curbed wheels will get charged.
Schedule a pre-return inspection 60 days early through your leasing company. They’ll flag issues you can fix cheaply yourself rather than paying their inflated repair rates. That cracked windshield Tom got charged $400 for? His insurance would’ve replaced it for a $100 deductible if he’d known 90 days earlier.
Ask for written wear-and-tear standards before signing. If the paperwork just says “excessive wear will be charged” without defining it, that’s your red flag to demand specifics or walk away.
Fees That Ambush You: Acquisition, Disposition, and Mystery Add-Ons
The monthly payment is just the start. Let’s talk about the fees that show up like uninvited relatives.
Acquisition fee ($500-$1,000): This is the bank’s charge for “processing your lease.” It’s rolled into your cap cost, which means you’re financing it over the lease term and paying interest on it. Sometimes negotiable, often not. Hyundai Motor Finance charges around $750. Mercedes-Benz can hit $1,200.
Disposition fee ($300-$500): This hits at lease-end just for the privilege of returning the car. You pay this even if everything is perfect. Think of it as a “thanks for leasing” penalty. Some manufacturers waive it if you lease another vehicle from them. Most don’t.
Dealer doc fees ($300-$900): These vary wildly by state and dealer. Florida caps them at $1,000. California dealers often push $500-$800. These are mostly profit, not actual administrative costs. Negotiate them or shop dealers with lower fees.
Watch for padded add-ons: Dealers will try to sneak in VIN etching ($200), nitrogen tire fills ($150), ceramic coating ($1,500), fabric protection ($800), and “market adjustment fees” ($2,000-$5,000 on hot models). If they refuse to show you a complete, itemized fee breakdown before you sit down to sign, walk away immediately.
Matching the Right Deal to Your Actual Life
The City Commuter: Low Stress, Predictable Costs, Easy Parking
You drive 25 miles roundtrip to work. You parallel park in tight spots. You charge at home overnight. Range anxiety isn’t your concern.
You want: Compact EVs with strong residuals like the IONIQ 5 SE Standard Range (220-mile EPA range), Kia Niro EV (253 miles), or Chevy Bolt EUV. The standard range is plenty when you’re charging daily. Don’t pay extra for the 310-mile extended range you’ll never use.
Home charging is your daily norm. You’ll rarely need public DC fast charging. Battery tech moves fast. New chemistries, faster charging, and improved thermal management drop every model year. Leasing fits your fear of obsolescence better than buying.
Suggest a 24 to 36-month term to stay close to the tech curve. The North American Charging Standard (NACS) is replacing CCS plugs across the industry. By 2027, your 2025 lease with a CCS port might feel like carrying a flip phone. Leasing lets you upgrade seamlessly.
The Growing Family: Space, Safety, and No End-of-Lease Surprises
You’ve got two kids, a dog, weekend soccer tournaments, and an annual road trip to Grandma’s house 400 miles away. You’re not trying to impress anyone. You need space and safety.
Focus on SUVs: The Chevy Equinox EV (seats 5, 319-mile range), Ford Mustang Mach-E (spacious cargo, 250-310 miles depending on trim), and VW ID.4 (when deals return) offer real family utility. The Kia EV9 three-row is tempting but expensive ($419/month base).
Calculate weekend trips plus daily school runs realistically. Do not underestimate your mileage. Two kids in travel sports equals 18,000-20,000 miles yearly for many families. Go for the 15k or 20k mileage option even if it raises your payment. That $30/month increase saves you $1,500+ in overage penalties later.
Prefer transparent wear protection and higher mileage allowances over mystery teaser payments. The best deal for you is the one your budget forgives when life happens. That means slightly higher payments with fewer surprise bills beats rock-bottom monthly costs with hidden penalty landmines.
The EV Curious: Test-Driving the Future Without Marrying It
You’re intrigued by EVs but skeptical. You’ve heard horror stories about winter range loss, charging deserts, and battery degradation. You want to try before you commit.
Pitch leasing as your 2-year education, not a commitment. Choose models with widespread fast-charging networks to avoid being stranded and anxious. That means prioritizing vehicles with access to Tesla’s Supercharger network (most manufacturers gained access in 2024-2025) or models like the Ioniq 5 and Ford Mach-E with strong DC fast-charging curves.
Accept a slightly higher monthly payment if it buys you zero-regret education and flexibility. A $320/month lease with confidence beats a $240/month deal that leaves you anxious about range every time you take a road trip.
Your success metric isn’t “did I get the cheapest deal.” It’s “did I gain confidence in EVs at a cost that feels fair?” After 24 months, you’ll know if your next vehicle is EV, hybrid, or back to gas. That knowledge is worth something.
Your Dealership Negotiation Battle Plan
The Three Questions to Ask Before You Even Mention a Model
Walk into a dealership (or send your first email) and lead with these three questions. They establish you as an informed buyer immediately, which changes the entire dynamic.
“What is the money factor on the [model] for a [24 or 36-month] lease this month?” This shows you understand lease math. Salespeople can’t feed you marked-up numbers as easily when you ask for the specific decimal.
“What is the residual value for a 36-month, 10,000-mile lease on this trim?” This gets you the core data. If they say “I don’t know” or “that’s proprietary,” they’re either undertrained or dodging. Both are red flags.
“Are you factoring in all available manufacturer-to-dealer incentives and lease cash in your quote?” This uncovers hidden discounts they hoped you’d miss. Hyundai’s $17,000 lease cash is a manufacturer program, not a dealer discount. Make sure they’re applying it.
If they can’t or won’t answer these three questions directly, you’re wasting your time. Move to the next dealer.
How to Get Real Numbers Without Stepping Foot in the Showroom
Email is your weapon. I helped my brother-in-law lease an Equinox EV entirely through email. He never visited a showroom until he picked up the car. Here’s the process:
Step 1: Identify three dealers within 50 miles of you using the manufacturer’s dealer locator.
Step 2: Send all three an identical email asking for a full lease worksheet with all fees disclosed for the specific trim, term, and mileage you want.
Step 3: Ignore first replies that only say “come in and we’ll talk numbers” without providing anything concrete. These dealers are time-wasters. Reply once: “I’m comparing offers from multiple dealers. I need the worksheet via email to proceed.”
Step 4: Use LeaseHackr forums to see real-world deal reports in your specific region. Search “[your state] [model] lease” and sort by most recent. You’ll find actual signed deals with full breakdowns of cap cost, money factor, residual, and incentives. Screenshot these and use them as leverage.
Step 5: Reply to your best email quote with: “Dealer B is offering [specific better term]. Can you match or beat that?” Create competition.
My brother-in-law’s first quote from Dealer A: $319/month with $5,000 down. After emailing Dealers B and C and showing Dealer A the competition, final deal: $259/month with $429 down. Same car. $60/month saved through email negotiation.
The Walk-Away Power Move: When to Use It
The best deal is always one you can walk away from. This isn’t a cliche. It’s a psychological truth that changes negotiation dynamics. When they sense you’re desperate or committed emotionally, you lose leverage instantly.
Walk away immediately if:
- They refuse to show the money factor or claim it’s “proprietary information” (it’s not)
- Due-at-signing suddenly balloons from the advertised amount without clear explanation
- They add fees to the worksheet that weren’t discussed (VIN etching, market adjustment, nitrogen)
- Math gets fuzzy or they pressure you to “decide today or lose this deal”
Politely disengage: “I appreciate your time, but this doesn’t align with my research. I’ll keep looking.” Then actually leave or close the email thread.
Your power comes from being willing to wait for the deal that feels right, not urgent. The best lease deals happen when you’re patient and informed, not desperate and rushed.
Conclusion: From Overwhelmed to In Control
You started this journey feeling like a target, worried every deal was a trap designed to separate you from your money. The September tax credit panic left you thinking you’d missed the window for affordable EVs. But now you know the reality: the game changed, but the best deals didn’t disappear. They just got complicated and regional.
You understand the three magic numbers that reveal truth behind advertised payments: capitalized cost, money factor, and residual value. You can calculate effective monthly cost in 30 seconds by dividing the due-at-signing by the term and adding it to the monthly payment. You know hidden costs like mileage overages, wear-and-tear penalties, and acquisition fees add $2,000-$5,000 to deals that look cheap on paper.
The Hyundai IONIQs backed by $17,000 in lease cash are legitimately strong if you’re in California or the right regional market. The Subaru Solterra is the dark horse with a true $287 effective monthly cost that beats advertised “cheaper” deals. The Chevy Equinox EV unlocks Colorado’s full $6,000 point-of-sale rebate thanks to its sub-$35,000 MSRP. And sometimes the best lease deal isn’t leasing at all, but that 0% financing from Kia or Ford staring you in the face.
Your next step for today: Open a spreadsheet. Pick your top three models you genuinely want to drive. Email three dealers asking for the Big Three numbers: capitalized cost, money factor, and residual value for your desired term and mileage. Do not visit the showroom yet. Do not let them pressure you to “come in and we’ll talk.” Just gather the information. Compare it to LeaseHackr forum deals in your area. You’re not committed to anything except clarity.
The best EV lease deal isn’t the one that wins on a comparison chart or gets the most upvotes on Reddit. It’s the one that lets you sleep at night, fits your actual driving life, and makes you feel like you understood every single number before you signed. You’re not chasing the internet’s deal anymore. You’re designing yours.
Best EV Car Lease Deals (FAQs)
What is the cheapest EV to lease right now?
Yes, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE and IONIQ 6 SE tie at $189/month advertised (36 months, $3,999 due at signing), but the Subaru Solterra wins for effective monthly cost at $287 total when you factor in its minimal $279 due at signing. The Kia Niro EV hits $169/month in select markets but availability is extremely limited. These deals require excellent credit and are heavily regional, particularly concentrated in California.
How does effective monthly cost differ from advertised lease payment?
No, they’re not the same. Effective monthly cost includes your prepaid upfront costs. Take the total due at signing, divide it by the number of months in your lease term, then add that to your advertised monthly payment. Example: $189/month with $3,999 down over 36 months equals $300/month effective cost ($3,999 ÷ 36 + $189). This reveals what you’re actually paying monthly.
Are EV lease deals still good after the federal tax credit ended?
Yes, surprisingly. Automakers replaced the lost $7,500 federal credit with their own manufacturer-funded lease cash to maintain competitive pricing and move inventory. Hyundai offers up to $17,000 in lease cash, Kia provides $10,000 customer cash, and Honda backs the Prologue with nearly $17,000 in incentives. Some current deals are actually better than pre-September 30th because manufacturers can’t rely on federal subsidies anymore.
Should I lease or buy an electric car in 2025?
It depends on your situation. Lease if you value technology flexibility, fear rapid EV depreciation (15-35% in three years), or know you’ll want the latest charging standards and battery tech. Buy at 0% financing if you have the down payment, want ownership freedom, plan to keep the vehicle 8+ years, and can invest the monthly payment difference. Leasing makes the most sense when you’re EV-curious or expect your driving needs to change.
What states still offer EV lease incentives?
Yes, several states offer powerful point-of-sale rebates that stack with manufacturer deals. Colorado provides up to $6,000 ($3,500 base plus $2,500 for vehicles under $35,000 MSRP) that can be assigned directly to the dealer. New York offers up to $2,000 for vehicles under $42,000 MSRP with over 200 miles range. New Jersey provides up to $4,000 ($1,500 base plus $2,500 income-qualified) for EVs under $55,000 MSRP. California’s statewide CVRP closed but local utility and regional programs remain active.