Leasing companies buy new cars and arrange leases calculated on how much they believe they can sell them for at the end of the lease. Sudden drops in price undercut those residual values, costing leasing firms money.
 
There’s “nothing worse” than continuously dropping the value of a fleet buyer’s assets, said Richard Knubben, director general of Brussels-based Leaseurope, a leasing- and rental-industry group which represents national groups across 31 countries.
“Tesla is now actively telling our members: We can give you discounts and compensate you,” Knubben said. “But Tesla’s residuals have dropped so fast, I’m not sure the discounts they’re offering are enough.”