The Amazing Almost Free (in Colorado) Fiat 500e That Is Fully Funded In Colorado By State And US Federal Incentives With $0 and $0 per month for 27 months

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Submitted by Rob Enderle on December 20, 2024 - 6:53PM

The best deal in the US for an EV is in Colorado, where you can lease a Fiat 500e for $0 down and $0 a month for 27 months after state and federal rebates and paying the taxes and disposition fee.

The likely best deal on an EV in the world is the Fiat 500e in Colorado, USA. You have to pay $1,297 in taxes and a $395 disposition fee when you turn in the car, but that's it, and you get the car for 27 months. That's even better than the vast deals from used Fiat 500es where you could buy low mileage cars off-lease, used and relatively new, for well under $10K, making them great second cars, cars for kids, and far better than the golf cars older people drive in States like Florida.

This deal likely won't last long into the new year, but this car's cost is lower than that of most motorcycles or scooters, and it is far safer than either. 

The Car Paid For By The State

The way the numbers work in Colorado is that you get a $7,500 rebate from the US government, and then the State of Colorado gives you another $7,500 rebate for a car with a purchase price under $35K. Given that the car costs around $31K, these two rebates cover the cost of a 27-month lease, leaving you with just the initial tax payment and the disposition payment at the end, or $1,692 out the door for the lease. 

Unfortunately, the new Trump administration plans to eliminate the US rebate, so deals like this won't be available for long. Still, you are likely to find the potential for similar deals with other low-cost cars purchased in Colorado.

The Fiat 500e

Sadly, the Fiat 500e isn't a great car. Its advantages are that it is nice-looking (retro), very easy to part, has a lot of standard features, and comes with a Level 2 charger, or you can get charge credits to charge publicly. The downside is that it has a relatively short range (around 150 miles), the back seat is tiny (pretty useless for adults), it has a small trunk, and the cabin is cheap-looking inside.

In addition, the 500e has a 94 MPH top speed, weighs in at 2,952 pounds, charges to 80% in 35 minutes, and has a 100K/8-year battery warranty, which is fine for a car used for school, groceries, or

However, it is safer than a motorcycle, scooter, golf cart, or electric bike. It is also cheap to own and will not take up much space in your garage or the street. 

Free EVs, Sadly, Aren't Going To Be A Thing

We are in a bit of an EV bubble because EV prices have fallen significantly, and the rebates are still in place based on their earlier high prices. That isn't expected to continue because EVs are expected to drop in price below gas cars (some already have), making the rebates redundant.

While this is a fascinating bargain, it isn't expected to last more than a few months. However, I expect EVs, a massive bargain this year as used cars, to become an increasing new car bargain as prices for EV batteries drop sharply due to new EV designs eliminating the mess of ICE/EV technology in the first generations of this EV revolution.

Wrapping Up:

I'm a fan of bargains, and I've looked at the 500e several times. Due to safety and weather concerns, these cars are used as viable second or third cars and are a better option than electric bikes, motorcycles, or scooters. Still, with the best yee, this is just what a bargain EVs are becoming. 

Granted, the next disruption will be autonomous ride-sharing. Many will likely choose to forgo car ownership as we move into Level 4 autonomous driving. But we aren't there yet, and until then, this latest EV bargain is only a precursor to increasingly lower EV prices for the rest of the decade. 

Rob Enderle is a technology analyst at Torque News who covers automotive technology and battery development. You can learn more about Rob on Wikipedia and follow his articles on ForbesX, and LinkedIn.