The end of the year is almost always the best time to get a great deal on a car.

This December, our partners at CarsDirect have found some great deals on electric cars for as little as $219 a month.

Electric cars

For buyers who want an all-electric car, the best deal is on the Nissan Leaf, as it often is. The Leaf is available for $219 a month for 36 months with $2,929 due at signing. 

The lease deal on the base Leaf S represents a huge $10,075 manufacturer discount, though that's down by $1,275 from a few months ago. Overall, the cost comes out $90 a month cheaper than the cheapest lease deal on the Chevy Bolt EV. Fancier Leaf SLs are eligible for a lower $8,250 discount.

Nissan is preparing to launch a longer-range version of the Leaf this spring that will go up to 225 miles, compared with the current model's 151 miles, so even better deals could be around the corner on the existing model.

2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV

2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV

For those who want to buy rather than lease an electric car, Chevrolet is offering big discounts on the Bolt EV of up to $4,675 off the MSRP of a loaded Premier version. That represents Chevy's employee discount plus $1,500 bonus cash.

This marks the Bolt's first appearance on our monthly list of deals.

The deal is available in 10 states including California, Oregon and eight East Coast states that follow California emissions standards: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Buyers should act quickly, though, as the federal tax credit for GM models will be cut in half April 1.

 

2019 Chevrolet Volt

2019 Chevrolet Volt

Plug-in hybrids

Chevrolet has announced the end of Volt production for March, but there are still plenty of Volts available at dealers with great discounts.

Like the Bolt EV, the Chevy Volt is eligible for GM employee pricing, along with a $2,000 discount to California and Oregon buyers. Costco members can get an additional $500 cash bonus for a total savings of up to $4,958.

As with the Chevy Bolt EV, the federal tax credit on the Volt is scheduled to drop by half April 1, by which time the Volt will be out of production. So interested buyers should act soon.

2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid drive, Napa Valley, Caifornia, Dec 2017

2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid drive, Napa Valley, Caifornia, Dec 2017

Now that the Volt is being phased out, and the best deals on it are for purchasers, there's a new leader when it comes to plug-in hybrid leases: the Honda Clarity PHEV. Lessees can drive one home for $209 a month with $2,299 due at signing.  Unlike most other plug-in hybrids, the best deals are available in the eight northeastern states that follow California plug-in vehicle mandates. Total discounts under the lease deal amount to $10,800. The effective deal costs $99 a month more in California and Oregon. 

2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid

2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Hybrids

The Ford Fusion Hybrid is one of the only 2019 models on the market available with 0-percent financing for 60 monthsand buyers can get $3,000 cash back at the same time. The offer is limited to California buyers, where Ford seems to be trying to boost its fuel-economy compliance scores.

Leftover 2018s get the same deal for up to 72 months, but they don't have Ford's Co-Pilot 360 suite of safety features, which includes automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot detection.

2018 Hyundai Elantra

2018 Hyundai Elantra

Fuel-efficient gas cars

Hyundai has upped the cash discount on the Hyundai Elantra Eco this month to $4,000. Alternatively, buyers can get 0 percent financing for six years and still get $1,000 cash back.

According to CarsDirect's analysis, the big cash discount comes out ahead of the 0 percent offer by about $600 over five years. These deals on the Elantra are available nationwide.