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Honda Fit EV lease drops to $199 a month, but there's a catch

The Honda Fit EV just became a much better deal. When it first launched, Honda offered the car (in California and Oregon only) in 2012, the monthly price was $399. In 2013, the official lease price dropped to $259. Today, Honda announced that the fun little runabout will cost you just $199. The catch? For new customers, this price is only good on used Fit EVs. You can also take advantage of this deal If you're a current Fit EV lessee by extending your time with your car by two years for the new, lower $199-a-month price. The other limitations of the Fit EV lease – the fact that there's no purchase option at the end of the lease and that the car itself is still only available in "designated market regions" – remain, which means that getting this particular electric car is a better deal than it used to be, but it's still not a good Fit for everyone. Related Video: Honda Introduces New Lease Options for Existing and Prospective Fit EV Lessees Mar 23, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. Two-year Fit EV lease extension offered to existing lessees New, two-year used Fit EV lease offered to prospective customers Price reduced to $199 a month; no down payment and unlimited mileage, routine maintenance and collision coverage included Honda is extending the reach of its efficient and fun-to-drive all-electric Fit EV (http://automobiles.honda.com/fit-ev/) through new lease programs for both existing and prospective Fit EV customers. For current, eligible Fit EV customers, Honda is offering a two-year lease extension that includes a lower $199 monthly payment1 (previously $259) and extends the unlimited mileage, routine maintenance and collision coverage1 that were included in the original lease. The reduced lease price and matching two-year terms1 will also be available to new customers interested in driving a used Honda Fit EV. Honda shared the news to a group of Fit EV drivers at an event hosted at the Honda Smart Home US (http://www.hondasmarthome.com/) in Davis, CA on Saturday, March 21. "Most Fit EV drivers tell us they love their vehicles, and many have requested lease extensions and this extended lease program is intended to meet their needs," said Steve Center, vice president of the Environmental Business Development Office, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Honda, Audi sweep European tin-top championships

Despite his win at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend, Sebastian Vettel still has another race or two to go before he can claim his fourth consecutive World Championship in Formula 1. Back in Europe, however, this weekend saw several championship titles decided in a variety of tin-top racing series.
In the British Touring Car Championship, Gordon Shedden won the final round at Brands Hatch this weekend, but that wasn't enough to defend his title. Instead, the ultimate glory went to Andrew Jordan, also driving a Honda Civic, coming in ninth place to take a seven-point victory over Shedden in the final standings. Little wonder then that Honda took the constructors' championship and the Honda Yuasa Racing team took the teams' title. Four-time BTCC champion and Fifth Gear co-host Jason Plato, now driving for MG, landed third in the standings.
While Honda dominated the British championship, it was Audi that reigned supreme in mainland Europe. In the Superstars International Series - Italy's touring-car championship - Gianni Morbidelli drove the Audi RS5 to his fifth title, finishing the season's final race in a calculated third place behind the BMW racecars of Giovanni Berton and Max Mugelli. It's the second consecutive win for the RS5 in the Superstars series (Johan Kristoffersson won the title last year), and the second this year following Mike Rockenfeller's title in the RS5 DTM.

Defying Trump, major automakers finalize California emissions deal

WASHINGTON — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and major automakers on Monday confirmed they had finalized binding agreements to cut vehicle emissions in the state, defying the Trump administration's push for weaker curbs on tailpipe pollution. The agreements with carmakers Ford Motor Co, Volkswagen AG, Honda Motor Co and BMW AG were first announced in July 2019 as voluntary measures prompting anger from U.S. President Donald Trump. A month later, the Justice Department opened an antitrust probe into the agreements. The government ended the investigation without action. The Trump administration in March finalized a rollback of U.S. vehicle emissions standards to require 1.5% annual increases in efficiency through 2026. That is far weaker than the 5% annual increases in the discarded rules adopted under President Barack Obama. The 50-page California agreements, which extend through 2026, are less onerous than the standards finalized by the Obama administration but tougher than the Trump administration standards. The automakers have also agreed to electric vehicle commitments. Volvo Cars, owned by China's Geely Holdings, said in March it planned to join the automakers agreeing to the California requirements. It has also finalized its agreement. The settlement agreements say California and automakers agreed to resolve "potential legal disputes concerning the authority of CARB" and other states that have adopted California's standards. In May, a group of 23 U.S. states led by California and some major cities, challenged the Trump vehicle emissions rule. Other major automakers like General Motors Co, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Toyota Motor Corp did not join the California agreement. Those companies also sided with the Trump administration in a separate lawsuit over whether the federal government can strip California of the right to set zero emission vehicle requirements. Ford said the "final agreement will reduce emissions in our vehicles at a more stringent rate, support and incentivize the production of electrified products, and create regulatory certainty." BMW said "by setting these long-term, predictable, and achievable standards, we have the regulatory certainty that is necessary for long-term planning that will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but ultimately benefit consumers as well."