Here are the EVs you can still lease for under $300 a month in January
With more models hitting the market and massive incentives, electric vehicles are more affordable than ever. However, with Trump’s transition team reportedly planning to end the EV tax credit, the savings may soon disappear. Here are the EVs you can still lease for under $300 a month in January.
2024 was another record year for EV sales in the US. Many automakers, including GM, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, and Honda, sold significantly more electric cars last year than in 2023.
According to Cox Automotive, electric vehicles are expected to represent 7.5% of all US auto sales in 2024. Although all December and full-year 2024 sales numbers have yet to be released, EV sales hit a record in November. With over 116,000 units sold, electric cars achieved an 8.5% market share.
A big reason behind the growth was new models, like the Honda Prologue, which was the third best-selling EV in the US in November. That’s after deliveries began in just March.
Honda sold over 33,000 Prologues in the US last year, with nearly 7,900 in December alone. With over 114,000 EVs sold, GM outpaced Ford’s roughly 97,900. Meanwhile, Hyundai, Kia, and others reported record EV sales in 2024.
Although a big reason behind the sales surge is due to new options, massive incentives have made EVs even cheaper to lease than gas-powered cars.
What EVs are for lease for under $300 in January 2025?
With additional discounts on top of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, some discounts are reaching as high as $10,000 to $20,000 off MSRP. In Q3, EV incentives averaged over 12% of the average transaction price (ATP), nearly double the industry average of 7%.
Despite having a starting MSRP almost double that of a Civic Sedan, you can lease a Honda Prologue for less in many parts of the US.
The 2024 Honda Prologue is listed at just $229 for 36 months in California and other ZEV states. With $1,299 due at signing, the effective monthly payment is $265. That’s for the EX (FWD) trim, which has a range of up to 296 miles.
In other parts of the country, don’t worry — Honda is still offering Prologue leases starting at $249 per month. You can also opt for a 0% APR.
| Lease From | Term (months) |
Due at Signing | Effective rate per month (including upfront fees) |
|
| 2025 Kia Niro EV | $149 | 24 | $3,999 | $315 |
| 2024 Kia EV6 | $159 | 24 | $3,849 | $319 |
| 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5 | $189 | 24 | $3,999 | $355 |
| 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 | $159 | 24 | $3,999 | $326 |
| 2024 Fiat 500e | $211 | 42 | $211 | $216 |
| 2024 Toyota bZ4X | $219 | 39 | $2,999 | $296 |
| 2024 Honda Prologue | $229 | 36 | $1,299 | $265 |
| 2024 Subaru Solterra | $279 | 36 | $279 | $287 |
| Tesla Model 3 | $299 | 36 | $2,999 | $382 |
| Tesla Model Y | $299 | 36 | $2,999 | $382 |
| 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV | $299 | 24 | $3,169 | $431 |
Using data from auto intelligence firm CarsDirect, we’ve gathered the top EVs you lease for under $300 a month this January. You can view offers in your area at the bottom.
Several other electric crossovers and SUVs, including the 2024 Subaru Solterra, Toyota bZ4X, and Hyundai IONIQ 5, are available to lease for under $300.
The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is listed as low as $189 for 24 months. With $3,999 due at signing, the effective rate is $355. Hyundai is offering big savings to clear inventory with the upgraded 2025 models arriving at US dealerships.
Hyundai’s other dedicated EV, the IONIQ 6, is listed at just $159 for 36 months. With $3,999 due at signing, the monthly effective rate is $326.
Subaru is offering 2024 Solterra leases starting at $279 per month (36 months). With just the first month’s payment due up front ($279), the monthly rate is $296. Although Toyota’s bZ4X is listed for as little as $219 for 39 months, with $2,999 due at signing, it’s slightly more with an effective rate of $296.
Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 can be leased for just $299 per month (36 months). With $2,999 due at signing for an effective rate of $382.
The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV can be leased for as little as $299 for 24 months. With $3,169 due upfront, the monthly rate is $431.
Meanwhile, a November report by Reuters claimed that Trump’s transition team aimed to eliminate the $7,500 federal tax credit. If true, many of these savings could soon disappear.
Are you ready to find your new EV? We’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to find the best deals on popular electric vehicles in your area.
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Chinese electric scooter manufacturer NIU Technologies (NASDAQ: NIU) is experiencing a remarkable surge in 2025, with its stock price nearly doubling year-to-date. This impressive performance is fueled by a significant increase in electric moped sales, particularly within its domestic market, despite facing challenges such as international tariffs and rising freight costs.
Domestic market is driving growth
In the first quarter of 2025, NIU reported a 57.4% year-over-year increase in e-scooter sales, totaling 203,313 units. Notably, 183,065 of these units were sold in China, marking a 66.2% increase compared to the same period last year.
This domestic growth was boosted by China’s consumer trade-in program, which incentivizes the replacement of older scooters with newer, more efficient models.
The company’s revenue for Q1 2025 reached RMB 682.0 million (approximately US $94 million), a 35.1% increase from the previous year. However, the average revenue per e-scooter decreased by 14.2% to RMB 3,354, indicating a shift towards more affordable models.
NIU CEO Yan Li explained: “In China, we are advancing our intelligent product development strategy by integrating automotive-grade technologies such as millimeter-wave radar, dual-channel ABS, and AI Smart Ecosystem to enhance the user experience. Our retail network has continued to expand in-line with our expectations, with new stores opening during the quarter. This synergistic combination of product innovation and omni-channel growth is driving measurable increases in domestic sales and market penetration.”
International challenges remain
While domestic sales certainly provided strong tailwinds for NIU, international markets still present challenges for the company. Sales outside China grew by a modest 6.4%, totaling 20,248 units. Factors such as US tariffs and increased freight costs were noted in NIU’s Q1 2025 earnings report as impacting international margins. Despite these hurdles, international sales contributed RMB 60 million (approximately US $8 million) to the quarterly revenue, a 22.4% increase year-over-year.
NIU’s gross margin declined to 17.3% from 18.9% in the same quarter last year, reflecting the pressure from international trade policies and logistics costs. Nevertheless, the company’s net loss narrowed to RMB 38.8 million, down from RMB 54.8 million in Q1 2024, indicating improved operational efficiency. While still operating at a net loss of around US 5.4 million, these numbers indicate a strong turnaround for the company – reflected by the nearly doubling of NIU’s stock price so far in 2025.
Looking ahead, NIU is anticipating continued growth and projecting Q2 2025 revenue to increase by 40% to 50% year-over-year. The company says it is also exploring strategies to mitigate international challenges, such as diversifying its production and focusing on markets less affected by tariffs.
As Li continued, “Globally, the market is undergoing structural shifts, with US trade policies experiencing increased volatility. However, we are leveraging innovation and agile infrastructure to mitigate geopolitical challenges, enabling sustainable global growth through proactive production adjustments.”
Electrek’s Take
If you’re a NIU fan like I am, this is great news that helps claw back some of the losses seen in the last couple of years. The entire micromobility sector has navigated choppy waters after the pandemic bubble burst, and NIU was certainly not immune to the drop in sales. But these numbers paint a promising return that industry analysts and scooter riders who depend on the company alike have been hoping for.
I visited NIU’s factory a few months ago and saw firsthand how much care and precision goes into building its millions of electric two-wheelers. That kind of in-depth look is rare in this industry, and it gave me keen insight into what separates NIU’s high-tech and high-design models from much of the industry.
Now it seems that sales are starting to catch back up to where such innovative pieces of tech deserve to be. Here’s to hoping for another good quarter to follow.
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On today’s sunny side up episode of Quick Charge, we take a look at the latest from the world of solar power, and discuss Congressional Republicans’ plans to limit your energy independence by eliminating a critical tax credit for homeowners nearly ten years early. (!)
We’ve also got a quick review of a massive solar farm powering 200,000 homes in Indiana and the biggest solar project East of the Mississippi – both part of a record 98% of all new power generation and grid capacity introduced in 2025 coming from wind and solar. Those are jobs, those are lower utility rates, those are energy independence … so why are Congressional Republicans working to make that more expensive?
Source Links
If you want to read that EnergySage report on the state of the home solar industry, including news about battery energy storage system and V2H/V2G prices and financing trends, you can check it out for yourself, below, then let us know what you think in the comments.
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. 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. It has 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 Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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A Waymo autonomous vehicle drives along Masonic Avenue on April 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Alphabet’s Waymo unit has received approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service to more parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose.
In March, the company submitted a request to the California Public Utilities Commission to gain approval for its latest passenger safety plan, a key step in gaining permission to operate driverless vehicles across a broader area. On Monday, the proposed expansion was approved, allowing for Waymo’s driverless coverage to extend from San Francisco down through the Peninsula.
“We’re very excited to share that the CPUC has approved our application to operate our fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in the South Bay and nearly all of San Jose!” the company wrote in a post on X on Monday. “While this won’t change our operations in the near-term, we’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of Waymo One to more of the Bay Area in the future.”
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