It's important to note that the leasing company gets the tax credit. I'm not sure if there are any tax implications that could prevent them from taking advantage of it, but it should be a basis for getting a better lease deal.

Unless this is part of a business strategy, I would question why one would lease a hybrid. The tax credit would offset the down payment and payments would probably be lower than lease payments, with a greater residual value because of the high potential resale of a hybrid.

Actually, if your credit is good, these days you can often buy a car with no money down. I walked out with my FEH with $0 down and 3.9% financing. Leases almost always require deposits.