JRP3 wrote:So it sounds as if you agree with me that leasing the entire vehicle would make the most sense for the type of consumer you describe, and that leasing the battery alone makes no sense at all, i.e. if leasing the pack is "good" then leasing the entire vehicle is "better".
No, the car itself will last far longer than the battery (average age of the U.S. LDV fleet is currently 11.6 yrs), and the battery's the most expensive part that will have to be replaced during that time period. To give an example, if the design requirement is a car that you want to commute/do all your local errands in, call it a maximum of 70 miles with a 10 mile reserve using HVAC in all weather for say 12 years, you've got two options. You can buy a Bolt, with a battery that's vastly oversized for your design case (but allows you to use it for other things for several years), at a battery price north of $12k, which boosts the price (lease or buy) of the car well above the median price of the U.S. LDV fleet. Or, you can buy the car but lease a much smaller and lighter battery, paying much less up front for the most expensive component, but with no worries about not meeting your use case as the battery ages, with the option to either lease or buy a bigger battery down the road when the costs have dropped considerably, as is the case with the Zoe's 22 to 41kWh upgrade option. At some point the capabilities, prices and (maybe) lifetimes of batteries will become comparable with ICEs; Some forecasts predict that will happen around 2025, but until that happy moment arrives, BEV batteries remain an immature tech with a limited lifespan.
Of course, for people who routinely turn their cars over every three years leasing is the way to go and battery life's less relevant, but presumably we both agree that's the most expensive method of car ownership. In any case, this discussion has strayed far from the topic, so if you wish to continue it let's do so via PM.