Nissan has begun rolling out its all-electric Leaf to markets in Asia, and this should serve as a precursor as to how much it may cost when it arrives here in 2020. It certainly is not cheap, but there might be a way for the Japanese carmaker to make things more palatable for would-be customers.

Currently, the market with the most affordable Nissan Leaf in Asia is, naturally, Japan. There, it starts at 3.243 million yen or about P 1.523 million. This is followed by Australia at AUD 49,990 or P 1.760 million and Hong Kong at HKD 299,315 (P 1.952 million).

Oddly enough, as we get closer to our neighbors in ASEAN, the price of the Leaf gets considerably higher. In the pioneer market in the region, Thailand, it costs 1,990,000 Baht or 3.293 million, while in Malaysia, where government subsidies on hybrid and electric vehicles exist, it’s RM 188,888 or P 2.339 million.

If this trend continues, it’s unlikely that we’ll see the Nissan Leaf priced below the P 2 million mark. This is despite P 1.830 million being the viable payback price if we were to compare it against a conventional gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle.

With that in mind, Nissan Philippines should start considering alternatives as early as now to make the Leaf’s business case much more viable. What they should look at is to offer some sort of subscription basis, just like what Nissan Malaysia is doing.

Aside from the option of purchasing one outright, it can also be driven on a monthly subscription basis, as you would Netflix or Spotify. Nissan Malaysia considers this as a “risk free” option given that EVs are still unproven at this point. Locked in for three years, the subscription model costs RM 3,500 or around P 43,341 per month (without insurance). It’s still pricey, but it does throw in all required preventive maintenance service.

Doing the math, by the end of the 36-month subscription period, you would have forked out RM 126,000 or P 1.56 million—still cheaper than buying one outright! And this includes complimentary use of a conventional gasoline-powered vehicle such as an X-Trail if the need arises (say, for out-of-town trips). Of course, at the end of the subscription, you end up without a car (unless you negotiate to buy it at prevailing market rates then).

Given that the acceptance of EVs is still a big question mark, coming up with a subscription program for the Leaf may be a quick way to get vehicles on the road. Will you consider the Leaf if all you’ll pay is just P 50,000 a month?