Requiring EV buyers to lease the battery is like the trend to move software applications into the cloud and charging an annual fee for access (i.e. Microsoft Office 365 and a whole host of other big name apps).
Of course, NOTHING is free, even electric car travel. If the 10 year, battery replacement cost is $9,400 and the average American travel is 15,000 the cost per mile is 6.2 cents per mile.
I'm pulling better than 45mpg with my Honda. Assuming gas remains US$3/gallon over the next 10 years, my cost per mile for 150,000 miles of travel is US$10,000. This doesn't include routine maintenance that and ICE requires whereas an EV has nearly none; not even brake pads with regen braking.
Ideally, you don't want an EV with a battery lease. In 10 years, at the annual rate of battery tech improvement (5% per year, so far), your replacement batter will offer far better performance at a substantially lower cost.
I'm SO confident of my prediction Paul and Ben will gladly pay the cost difference, because they're just that kinda guys.