Business leasing means the company leases the car, not you privately. If you also use the car privately, you are taxed on it as a free company car. The combination of low ownership tax and zero tailpipe emissions has made EVs, and Teslas in particular, an obvious company-car choice tax-wise in Denmark. But "leasing" covers several quite different contract types, and those are what you need to understand first.
Operational or financial leasing?
| Operational leasing | Financial leasing | |
|---|---|---|
| Residual-value risk | Leasing company | Your company |
| At end of term | Hand the car back | Agreed residual price / right of disposal |
| Service and running costs | Often included | Typically your own responsibility |
| Monthly payment | Often higher, but "all inclusive" | Often lower, but more own responsibility |
| Suits | Predictability, no resale hassle | Companies happy to own the risk |
Operational leasing is the "easy" model: one fixed payment that often covers service and ownership taxes, and at the end you just return the car. Financial leasing is closer to a financed purchase where the company carries the risk of what the car is worth at the end. Which is cheaper depends on residual values, interest levels and how good the deal is - always collect several quotes.
Company-car taxation of an EV
If the company makes the car available for private driving, you are taxed on free company car: a percentage of the car's taxable value plus an environmental surcharge calculated from the car's annual ownership tax. This is where EVs have a built-in advantage: the ownership tax is low, so the surcharge is correspondingly low compared with a petrol or diesel car in the same price range. Rates and rules are adjusted regularly, so check the current figures with Skat, and read my guide to Tesla company-car taxation for the full mechanics.
VAT
For passenger cars, VAT normally cannot be deducted on a purchase, but with leasing a company can often deduct part of the VAT on the leasing payment under special rules when the car is used for business. Exactly how much depends on the car's value and use. This is an area with many details, so have your accountant run the numbers before choosing between buying and leasing.
What about flex leasing?
Flex leasing is built on proportional registration tax: you only pay tax for the period the car is registered. It is most interesting for cars with a high registration tax. During the current phase-in, EVs only pay part of the full tax, so the gain from flex leasing is typically smaller for a Tesla than for a comparable petrol car. Read more about the mechanics in the guide to EV registration tax in Denmark.
Where do you lease a Tesla for business?
Broadly there are two routes: Tesla's own business solutions (see tesla.com) and the many Danish leasing companies and banks offering Tesla business leasing. Terms, residual values and payments vary more than you would expect for the same car, so it pays to collect two or three quotes and compare the total cost over the full term, not just the monthly payment.
Ask about this before you sign
- What is the total cost over the whole term, including the first payment and fees?
- What mileage limit applies, and what do excess kilometres cost?
- What is included: service, tyres, insurance, ownership taxes?
- What counts as normal wear and tear at return?
- Can the contract be extended or terminated early, and at what cost?
The referral code and business leasing
Tesla's referral programme is tied to the purchase of a new Tesla. With leasing, the leasing company formally buys the car, so whether a referral benefit can come into play depends on the structure of the deal and Tesla's current terms. If the company buys the car instead, the current referral benefits generally apply just as with a private purchase.
Bottom line
A Tesla as a company car is often attractive tax-wise thanks to the low environmental surcharge, and business leasing is the easiest way there. Choose the leasing form based on who should carry the residual-value risk, always compare total cost across several quotes, and let your accountant look at VAT and taxation before deciding. This guide is general information, not tax advice.