36 or 48 months? At 48 months, the incentives can reach $7,000. At 36 months, you give up $1,750 of incentives to switch a year earlier.
Our answer in 20 seconds
- 48 months if you keep the car four years: the incentives peak at that term, and a longer lease adds none.
- 36 months if you want to switch after three years: you give up as much as $1,750 in incentives, without being stuck twelve months longer.
- Buy if you drive a lot or keep your cars ten years: leasing and then buying out generally costs more, the Office de la protection du consommateur points out.
Incentives by lease term
Roulez vert (Quebec) and the federal Electric Vehicle Affordability Program (EVAP) stack, starting with a 12-month lease. The dealer applies the EVAP amount to the contract, after taxes and fees; Roulez vert can also be applied to the contract or paid out to you.
| Lease | Quebec | Federal | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 months | $500 | $1,250 | $1,750 |
| 24 months | $1,000 | $2,500 | $3,500 |
| 36 months | $1,500 | $3,750 | $5,250 |
| 48 months + | $2,000 | $5,000 | $7,000 |
Between 36 and 48 months, the incentive gap is $1,750. Compare it with what twelve more months on the contract cost: payments, kilometres and buyout.
Between two terms, Roulez vert keeps the lower tier (a 30-month lease gets the 24-month amount) and EVAP is calculated to the month: $5,000 ÷ 48 × the number of months. These amounts apply to a battery-electric vehicle eligible for both programs, registered in 2026, for personal use, with an EVAP application submitted in 2026.
Sources: Roulez vert normative frameworkFR of March 2026; Transport Canada, EVAP overviewFR of September 10, 2026; checked on .
Lease or buy an electric vehicle: our verdict
On an electric vehicle, the lease settles the question that causes worry: what will the car be worth in four years. When the contract includes a purchase option, its price or the formula to calculate it is written in it, the Office de la protection du consommateur points out. If the car is worth less than that price at the end of the term, you hand it back instead of buying it out. If it is worth more, you can exercise the option and keep it.
The downside is well known: the payment is often lower than with financing, but the total cost is generally higher if you buy the car out at the end. Our verdict: lease if you change vehicles every four years with steady mileage; buy if you keep your cars eight or ten years or often exceed your kilometre allowance. The incentive is the same either way at 48 months.
Conditions of the 2026 incentives
- The model
It must be eligible for both programs; for EVAP, it must also come from Canada or from a country linked to Canada by a free-trade agreement. - The price
Manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) under $65,000 for Roulez vert; final transaction value of $50,000 or less for EVAP, except for a vehicle made in Canada. - The dates
Registration no later than December 31, 2026; lease signed since February 16, 2026; EVAP application submitted by the dealer in 2026.
Roulez vert (Quebec)
December 31, 2026 is the program’s end date: a lease signed in December for a car registered in January no longer qualifies. For a plug-in hybrid leased 48 months or more, Roulez vert pays $1,000 with a battery of at least 15 kWh, or $500 from 8 kWh up to under 15 kWh.
EVAP (federal)
At 48 months or more, EVAP grants up to $5,000 for a battery-electric vehicle and $2,500 for a plug-in hybrid in 2026; these maximums drop to $4,000 and $2,000 in 2027, and it is the date on which the dealer submits the application that sets the level.
Before you sign
- The eligible model
On a three-row SUV like the Kia EV9FR or the Hyundai IONIQ 9FR, ask about the $50,000 ceiling first. For city and highway, look at the Kia Niro EVFR, the Hyundai IONIQ 5FR or the Nissan LEAFFR. Our electric vehicle page lists 25 models and variants from seven brands (network data checked on August 14, 2026). - Four winters
A 48-month lease means four Januaries. Choose the range for your longest trip in severe cold; our article on winter range gives measured figures. Plan home charging before delivery. - The kilometres
The Office gives as an example a 48-month lease with 80,000 km. Aim for your real mileage: the rate for extra kilometres is written in the contract and is paid at return. - Two offers side by side
Same term, same mileage, same down payment. Compare the rate, the total of the payments with taxes, the fees, the rate for extra kilometres and the buyout amount. Have the incentives listed in the contract spelled out.
During and at the end of the lease
Your rights at return
For a contract signed since April 5, 2024:
- The inspection
At least 90 days before the contract ends, the merchant offers you an inspection at no charge; if you accept, it takes place between 60 and 30 days before that date. - The report
The merchant gives you a written report of the parts it considers abnormally worn; you have them repaired wherever you like. - The 10-day notice
If the merchant notes abnormal wear after the return, it sends you a written notice, and you have 10 days after receiving it to have the repairs done.
The merchant cannot claim abnormal-wear charges if it skips the inspection offer, the report or the written notice, or if it sells or re-leases the car before the 10 days are up. Normal wear is not billed, and worn tires do not justify a bill for new tires.
Source: Office de la protection du consommateur, page on the charges that can be claimed when the vehicle is returnedFR, updated March 5, 2025.
Getting out of the lease early
Returning the car before the end of the term generally costs a few thousand dollars, the Office warns. The other way out is to transfer the lease to someone else: you send the merchant a notice with the name and address of the person taking over, and if the merchant does not object within 15 days of receiving it, it is deemed to have accepted.
Source: Office de la protection du consommateur, page on cancelling the contractFR, updated March 5, 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Can I transfer my lease?
A clause that forbids transfer, or that imposes higher fees than reasonable expenses, can be judged abusive according to the Office de la protection du consommateur; only a court decides. If the merchant refuses the transfer, it is up to the merchant to give the reasons.
How much can be required up front at signing?
No more than two payments in advance, plus a security deposit if one is required. That deposit is returned to you at the end of the lease, unless it was used, for example, to cover a late payment. Source: Office de la protection du consommateur, page on contract terms and content, updated January 15, 2025.
Are winter tires mandatory on a leased vehicle?
Yes, from December 1 to March 15, as for any vehicle registered in Quebec. An exemption covers the seven days before the end of a lease of one year or more, with the contract on board. Source: Québec.ca, page on winter tires, accessed October 14, 2026.
Tell us the model, the term and the mileage you have in mind: you will get your lease price.
