As both GM and Nissan get ready to release their electric cars later this year, the electric car wars are starting to heat up already, resulting in benefits for the consumer.

GM announced the Chevrolet Volt would start at about $41,000, $8,000 more than the Nissan Leaf, but GM will also match the $349 per month lease deal that Nissan is offering on their car. Nissan fought back by announcing they would match GM’s battery warranty of eight years, 1000,000 miles.

Both vehicles will cost more than a comparable gas engine car, but the lease deals make them quite competitive. If you take into consideration the savings at the pump, the federal tax credit, and the additional tax breaks offered in some states, the new electric vehicles are in the budget of mainstream buyers.

Both Nissan and GM say the base models of their cars will come nicely equipped. Both have navigation, multiple air bags and premium audio systems standard. Options for both include backup monitoring cameras, leather seats in the Volt, and a solar-panel spoiler that generates electricity on the Leaf.