By John 
Ford and General Motors are pulling a fast one to sidestep the demise of a key federal perk, grabbing unsold electric vehicles from dealer lots and flipping them into lease deals to keep that sweet $7,500 discount alive. The tax credit officially flatlined last September, but these automakers aren’t letting it go quietly, not when EV sales could nosedive without it.
Here’s the play: their financing arms scoop up inventory, turning dealership floor models into “factory-owned” rides. Now, instead of buying, customers can lease and still pocket the full credit, no tax forms required. It’s a slick workaround, really, borrowing a page from dealers who’ve been playing this game for years—snagging the rebate upfront, then slashing prices at the point of sale.
Leasing’s suddenly the golden ticket for EV shoppers anyway. With battery worries, unpredictable resale values, and sky-high sticker prices, folks are hopping into short-term contracts like never before. Leasing rates have tripled in two years, and who can blame them? Skip the long-term commitment, dodge depreciation drama, and still save on gas.
So, genius or just desperate? Either way, Detroit’s betting big on this loophole to keep the electric revolution rolling. Demand’s sketchy post-incentive, but if throwing leases at the problem keeps buyers interested, well, that’s a win—for now.
Shawn Henry