Auto-loan interest rates have started to fall slightly in August—but that hasn't yet made it any easier to find great deals on plug-in, hybrid, and electric cars.

And yet, the deals are out there. Our partners at CarsDirect.com found deals as low as $179 a month in August.

The good news is that Labor Day bargains are right around the corner, and one of our recurring hybrid deals represents the cheapest lease on any car for Labor Day so far.

CarsDirect deals are focused on cars that are widely available nationwide, because there's no point hunting down a great deal on a car that you can't find on a dealer's lot.

2019 Honda Clarity Electric

2019 Honda Clarity Electric

Electric cars

The lowest lease payment, as it often is, is on the Fiat 500e, which is available for $179 a month for 36 months. That's not the cheapest lease deal in CarsDirect's analysis, however, because it requires a substantial $3,435 up-front payment.

The cheapest lease deal overall is on the Honda Clarity Electric, for $199 a month with only $1,799 down. The lease runs for 36 months, but only allows 10,000 miles a year. Honda sells the Clarity Electric in California and Oregon, and while its 89 mile range is shorter than most modern electric cars, it's longer than the 82 miles available in the Fiat 500e.

2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV

2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV

For those who don't want to lease, the Chevrolet Bolt EV offers the best deals, with $6,500 off MSRP in states that follow California emissions mandates. Bolt buyers can also opt to get $1,000 cash back along with 0-percent financing for six years.

CarsDirect ran the numbers, and the larger rebate is $1,000 cheaper than taking the 0-percent financing, compared with a five-year loan at 5.5 percent interest. The $6,500 cash-back deal includes $1,000 that is only available in California and other states that follow its strict emissions regulations.

2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid charging at office park, Santa Cruz, California, Dec 2017

2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid charging at office park, Santa Cruz, California, Dec 2017

Plug-in hybrids

The Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid returns for an encore appearance as the best deal on a plug-in hybrid for August. It's available to lease for $249 a month for 36 months with $2,999 down. The lease is available in select states, including California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin, among others. It allows 12,000 miles a year.

The Niro PHEV is a capable plug-in hybrid that delivers 26 miles of electric range, along with 46 mpg when it's running on gas. Although the Niro PHEV lists for $3,225 more than its Hyundai Ioniq sibling, the effective lease deal is $8 a month cheaper.

2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid

2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Hybrids

At $199 a month for 36 months, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is not only the cheapest hybrid in August, it's also the cheapest lease deal overall this month through Labor Day. With $1,999 due at signing, the lease deal, which is only available in California, is the most affordable car of any kind listed so far through September. That includes the non-hybrid Fusion, which has a lower sticker price. The deal includes a $1,500 bonus for trade-ins, as well as an extra $250 incentive on cars that have been in dealer inventory for more than 61 days. It expires September 3.