Honda issued an apology to frustrated customers who were having difficulty finding the Fit EV hatchback.
Honda slashed the lease price on its Honda Fit EV from $389 to $259 a month with no down payment, unlimited mileage, routine maintenance, collision coverage and a free 240 volt EV home charging station from Leviton.
Also, for any current holder of a Honda Fit EV lease their monthly lease payment will also drop to $259 a month.
That move led to an immediate shortage of the Fit EV, which annoyed some potential lessees.
All of that led to this apology letter from Honda:
More Fit EV Electric Vehicles on the Way
We expected a strong positive consumer response to our recent announcement that the Fit EV monthly lease price had been reduced from $389 to $259 for new and existing customers alike. It turns out that a “strong” response was gross understatement. Customer interest spiked significantly and demand for the Fit EV has grown considerably. We’ve even heard rumors that the Fit EV may already be sold out.
As with any rumor, the truth is somewhat different. While many of our dealers have reported leasing their available inventory of Fit EV’s since our late May announcement of the lower lease price, we are still producing a consistent rate of Fit EVs per month for the U.S. market and shipping them to dealers as quickly as possible. This is a temporary inventory issue, not a question of being “sold out.”
Still, we recognize that some customers have experienced frustration as they attempt to locate dealers with available Fit EVs. We sincerely apologize for this – though it should be only a temporary inconvenience. The good news is that more Fit EV’s are on their way to dealer showrooms.
Here is what we suggest in the meantime: we encourage interested customers to contact their local qualified Fit EV dealer to complete the lease qualification process and, if they qualify,and if a vehicle is not immediately available, to put their names on a wait list. Wait lists evolve quickly and people drop out as time passes, therefore the lists are not as long as one would think. We also encourage customers to stay in contact with their local dealers to ensure they receive the latest information on the delivery of Fit EV’s. Though this may sound a bit discouraging, we believe that our dealers’ current inventory — supplemented by future shipments — will be adequate to satisfy ultimate demand for the Fit EV.
Bottom line: Honda is bringing more Fit EV’s to our U.S. dealers every month, and those future shipments are not sold out. With the new lower lease price along with our offer of no down payment, unlimited mileage, routine maintenance, collision coverage and a free 240 volt EV home charging station (not including installation)1 we are confident that the Fit EV is not only the best electric vehicle on the road but also the best value in the EV market. We appreciate the interest already shown by our customers. Thank you!
Steve Center
Vice President, Environmental Business Development
June 14, 2013
