Not long ago Nissan started attracting new Leaf buyers with a 24 or 36 month lease for the Leaf Electric Vehicle at a base price of $199 per month. Dealers around Los Angeles have reported that showroom traffic has greatly increased since the new lower prices.

This week, 2 large Ford dealerships in the Sacramento, California area have published ads announcing a $199 per month lease on the Ford Focus Electric. One dealership was offering a 24 month lease and the other was offering a 36 month lease with a lower initiation cost.

Unlike the Nissan Leaf, however, the Ford Focus Electric lease only have 10,500 annual miles which is lower than the 12,000 of the Nissan Leaf.

California buyers that opt for the 36 month lease can receive a $2,500 purchase rebate as a state incentive for buying a zero-emission vehicle. With $2,800 down for the Focus Electric 36 month lease, that’s essentially only $300 up front cost for the lease.

The Focus Electric is rated as having a slightly higher range than the Leaf (76 miles vs 73 miles), and many rate the interior of the Focus as being a much higher quality.

With leases under $200 a month on these large electric vehicles, the smaller makers with the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the Coda Sedan, and the upcoming Smart Electric Drive will certainly feel the pressure to try and attract buyers. This is the competition that many EV enthusiasts have been waiting for!