Just in time for Earth Day, Nissan has announced a priority reservation system for their upcoming electric vehicle.  The Leaf’s 115,000 registered fans can secure their place in line nearly a month before the general public is allowed.  Reservations require a $99 placeholder fee that is fully refundable.

Though Tesla was first to market with a modern highway-capable electric vehicle, Nissan has a significant advantage when it comes to price.  The Tesla Roadster starts at $101,500 compared to the Nissan Leaf’s $25,280 (yes, batteries are included).  A federal tax credit of $7,500 is used in both cases to reduce the vehicle’s base price, though additional state and local incentives can reduce the price even further.

Nissan is getting extra creative by preemptively rolling that same $7,500 federal tax credit into a very aggressive lease deal.  Customers will be able to lease a Leaf for 36 months for only $349 per month (with $1,999 down payment).  Three-year leases on Toyota’s Prius range from about $330-$540, depending on the level of optional equipment, putting the Leaf within easy striking distance of the popular hybrid.

The attractive lease deal is a clever move on Nissan’s part because it allows skeptical consumers to try out the Leaf in the real world without the need for a long-term commitment.  If owners find that the 100-mile driving range is too limited, they won’t have to worry about finding an eco-minded buyer to take the car off their hands.

Nissan doesn’t think that demand will slacken, though.  The Japanese carmaker is already hard at work on several new electric vehicles to sell alongside the 5-seat, 90-mile per hour Leaf and has been partnering with state and local governments to develop an extensive network of public recharging sites.

Carlos Ghosn, Nissan’s CEO, cites research indicating that more than eight percent of automobile owners in Europe, Japan, and the US want for their next vehicles to be powered solely by electricity.  “We are very optimistic,” he said at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this year.  “We may have to rush to build capacity for cars and batteries.”