Best deals on hybrid, electric, fuel-efficient cars for May 2016

A new month brings more deals on hybrid, electric, and fuel-efficient cars.

Incentives change from month to month as manufacturers try to boost sales of certain models, clear out inventory, or make them more competitive on price.

So, as always, this month you'll see some models that have appeared in this feature previously, some newcomers, and some offering greater discounts than before.

DON'T MISS: Plug-in electric car sales for April 2016: Volt romps, Leaf stagnates (update)

For more information, head over to CarsDirect.

Hybrids

The 2016 Toyota Prius is an all-new model, but Toyota is already offering significant incentives to sell it.

Toyota doubled its cash-back incentives compared to last month, bringing them to a maximum of $1,000 in most regions.

It also extended a 0-percent APR financing offer from 48 months to 60 months.

ALSO SEE: 2016 Toyota Prius: Gas Mileage Review Of 50-MPG-Plus Hybrid (Dec 2015)

Finally, lease payments on its signature hybrid model were cut by $30, bringing a 2016 Prius Two lease down to $229 a month for 36 months.

That's with $1,999 due at signing, and a cap of 12,000 miles per year. The offer expires May 31.

Note that Toyota offers both the standard Prius and the more-efficient Prius Two Eco.

The Eco gets an EPA rating of 56 mpg combined, rather than the 52 mpg combined of the other models, but is reportedly harder to find on dealer lots.

Meanwhile, buyers who can live without a brand-new model should consider the 2016 Kia Optima Hybrid mid-size sedan.

The rest of the Optima lineup was redesigned for 2016, but the hybrid carries over unchanged for one more model year.

MORE: 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid on sale this fall

The best current lease deal for the Optima Hybrid is $193 a month for 24 months.

That requires buyers to put $1,499 down, and adhere to a limit of 12,000 miles per year.

If you're unsure about that offer, you have plenty of time to mull it over, as it stands until July 5.

Plug-in hybrids

Another mid-size sedan is May's best plug-in hybrid deal.

The 2016 Ford Fusion Energi is available to lease for $189 per month for 36 months through July 5.

That's with $1,999 due at signing, and a cap of 10,500 miles per year.

A mildly updated 2017 Fusion Energi will appear later this year with revised exterior and interior styling, and a handful software tweaks.

Ford expects its 19-mile electric range to remain unchanged, but claims the updated model will have a more refined driving experience.

Electric cars

If you can find one, last year's 2015 BMW i3 electric car is a great deal.

Both the monthly lease payment and down payment were slashed by $70 on any 2015 models remaining in inventory.

That means the battery-electric i3 is now available at $159 a month for 30 months, with $4,084 down.

The range-extended i3 REx leases for $189 over the same period, with $4,114 due at signing.

Both lease include a 10,000-mile annual cap, and the offers last through the end of the month.

Another option is the 2016 Nissan Leaf S, the base model of the best-selling electric car.

Through the end of the month, Nissan is cutting the lease payment by $10, and the amount due at signing by $400.

That brings the lease down to $199 per month for 36 months, with $1,999 down and a cap of 10,500 miles per year.

Note that the Leaf S is the only version to use the smaller, 24-kilowatt-hour battery pack, which is rated at 84 miles of range.

A 30-kWh pack that increases range to 107 miles is standard on the pricier Leaf SV and SL trim levels.

Source: Best deals on hybrid, electric, fuel-efficient cars for May 2016