Crazy Fiat 500e prices are back. You can lease one for $0/mo – yes, zero – in CO
You can now lease a Fiat 500e for zero down and zero dollars a month before taxes – or, well, at least some customers can.
Longtime EV drivers will remember a time when Fiat was leasing its 500e for crazy low prices.
At the time, Fiat’s CEO, Sergio Marchionne, was one of the loudest advocates against EVs – but part of his advocacy was because he also ran one of the highest-emitting car companies, which meant it had to spend billions of dollars to make up the penalties for its noncompliance with pollution laws.
One of Fiat’s methods to try to get into compliance was to sell as many cute, tiny, electric Fiat 500es as possible in California and Oregon, the only states it was available in at the time. And it did so by offering crazy lease prices, as low as around $69/mo. Many customers snatched one up, even as a “spare” car, because the lease cost far less than the amount they’d save in fuel from leaving their gasser at home more often.
The old version of the 500e went the way of the dodo for the US market in 2019, but then Fiat resurrected the car and started selling the “New 500e” in the US this year, and it’s available in more states too.
And now, those times of crazy lease prices seem to be back, but this time it’s in Colorado, and the lease is even cheaper.
Fiat 500e for $0/mo, $0 down (+tax) in Denver
One dealership in Colorado, Larry H. Miller Chrysler/Dodge/Ram/FIAT Denver, is now offering a 27-month lease for $0/month and $0 down, making the car basically free… well, before taxes. Including taxes, you’ll have to pay a $1,297.68 down payment, but the $0/month fee carries through the whole lease term from there. At the end of the lease, you’re responsible for a $395 disposition fee, making the total cost just under $1,700 for the 27 month lease. That’s under $63/month, on average.
The dealership is able to offer this low price due to government incentives, which are excellent in the state of Colorado (which, like California, also has strict emissions rules that Fiat wants to gain compliance with). Not only does the car benefit from the $7,500 federal tax credit, but Colorado also has a state credit of $7,500 on cars under $35k MSRP, which the 500e qualifies for (it’s $5k on cars >$35k). These credits are retained by the dealer, and used to lower the lease price.
This all means a car with a $32.5k base price can have pretty much the entire cost of the lease covered by incentives, except for taxes. Fiat calculates the residual value of the car will be $17,388.45 at the end of the lease term, at which point customers can purchase it for that amount if they like.
There’s still limited mileage of 10,000 miles per year, after which you pay .30/mile. But the 500e is still very much focused on being a city car, with its small size, 42kWh battery, and around 140-150 miles of range. So for drivers who want a right-sized car to get around town instead of a ridiculous land yacht, it could be quite a good option.
As a driver who used to have a ~100mi range Mini E, this was plenty to get around Southern California (and I could find parking anywhere) – and I didn’t even have 85kW DC charging capability like the 500e does. So if you have a long commute that maxes out that range, you might run afoul of the 10,000-mile limitation, but if you’re using it for a shorter commute and running around town you should be fine.
If you happen to be near Denver, you can find the deal here on Larry H. Miller’s site. But if you aren’t in Colorado and still want a Fiat 500e, feel free to use our link to reach out to local dealers in your area to find a 2024 Fiat 500e. We imagine this won’t be the only crazy lease deal on them out there – but it’s certainly the craziest we’ve seen.
And if you’re getting a new electric vehicle, why not charge it at home using rooftop solar panels and drive on sunshine? Find a reliable and competitively priced solar installer near you on EnergySage, for free. They have pre-vetted installers competing for your business, ensuring high-quality solutions and 20-30% savings. It’s free, with no sales calls until you choose an installer. Compare personalized solar quotes online and receive guidance from unbiased Energy Advisers. Get started here. – ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Cumberland Forest Limited Partnership are turning former Appalachian coal mines into clean energy hubs. They just announced new agreements with Sun Tribe Development and ENGIE to build 14 solar farms and three battery storage systems across 360 acres in Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
This marks the second round of clean energy projects launched under TNC’s Cumberland Forest Project.
These projects aren’t just about clean energy – they’re about proving that clean energy can be developed on former Appalachian coal mines in a way that benefits the environment and local communities. The solar and storage hubs are expected to bring in more local tax revenue, create short-term construction jobs, and establish a community fund to support additional local initiatives.
Brad Kreps, TNC Clinch Valley director, said, “Developing projects on former coal mines – and in a way that engages with people in the local area so that communities can benefit – takes ingenuity, skill, and determination. Ultimately, we selected Sun Tribe and ENGIE, two experienced developers that have a great interest in bringing this vision to life.”
Once online, these projects will generate around 49 megawatts (MW) of solar energy and 320 MW of battery storage – enough to power 6,638 Appalachian homes annually.
Sun Tribe’s projects will be in Virginia and Tennessee. It’s planning one 5 MW solar project and three utility-scale battery storage systems ranging from 80 MW to 150 MW. These storage projects will improve grid reliability and help cut costs for utility customers by reducing the need for future grid upgrades.
“Locating solar and battery storage on former mine lands makes perfect sense to us,” said Danny Van Clief, CEO of Sun Tribe Development. “These sites and the communities they rest within have powered our country for more than a century – all we have to do is reimagine them for today’s energy technology.”
ENGIE, meanwhile, is developing 13 community-scale solar projects across Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky that will take advantage of Inflation Reduction Act incentives to help keep costs down. They’ll range in size from 1 MW to 6 MW, bringing clean energy access to more local communities.
“ENGIE is thrilled to collaborate on the development of these projects with The Nature Conservancy,” says Kristen Fornes, ENGIE head of distributed solar and storage. “These initiatives not only contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions but also generate employment opportunities, rejuvenate local communities, and enhance access to clean energy in areas where it is most needed.”
This latest announcement builds on previous first-round work by TNC, Sun Tribe, and Dominion Energy to bring renewable energy to Appalachia. Since 2021, Sun Tribe and Dominion Energy have been working on plans to generate 140 MW of renewable energy across eight sites in the Cumberland Forest. The first project, Wildcats Solar, is a 10 MW array planned for Wise County, Virginia. Expected to start construction by 2026, it’s projected to generate $800,000 in tax revenue for the community over its lifetime. Additional projects from the first round are set to be online by 2029.
Read more: Renewables provided 90% of new US capacity in 2024 – FERC
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The US State Department’s procurement forecast for the 2025 budget includes an item called “Armored Teslas” worth $400 million.
But worry not; it was approved under the Biden Administration, so Elon Musk’s DOGE will undoubtedly eliminate this waste. Right?
Elon Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are currently examining a large amount of US government spending.
It’s unclear if he got to the US State Department’s procurement forecast because there are a few interesting lines that would give auditors second thoughts.
The most interesting one is “Armored Tesla (Production Units)”, which is worth $400 million. Strangely, the item is listed under the NAICS code “311999 – All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing.”
The program has a target for delivery in Q4 through the next 5 years.
There are several other similar and strange budgeted items that are linked to the wrong categories:
You have “ARMORED SEDAN” under “Soft Drink Manufacturing,” “ARMORED BMW X5/X7” under “Bottled Water Manufacturing,” and finally, ARMORED EV (NOT SEDAN) under “Ice Manufacturing.”
However, all these other armored vehicle-related items are budgeted at a fraction of the $400 million for Tesla vehicles ($50 million, $40 million, and $40 million, respectively).
The State Department procurement forecast website mentions that the list was last updated in December – before Trump entered office.
Electrek has contacted the State Department for a comment, and we will update you if we get an answer.
Tesla has claimed that its Cybertruck is “armored” and “bulletproof”, but its armored capacity is quite limited. It can likely deflect low-velocity bullets if they hit the doors, but that’s about it.
Other companies have been planning to modify the Cybertruck with higher levels of armor, like the partnership between Unplugged Performance and Archimedes Defense – pictured above.
Electrek’s Take
I am not against armored electric vehicles. If you need armored vehicles, you might as well make them electric.
However, this is certainly weird. Why does the State Department need $530 million worth of armored vehicles? And why is it listed under a bunch of unrelated categories that don’t make sense?
Sounds like a job for DOGE? However, Elon will need to recuse himself from that one, I guess.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports10 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway