The manufacturer actually sells the car to the lessor, usually at a price well below what a buyer would pay due to the relationship between the parties. Third party lessors are very common, and they get a serious discount. In fact, they buy for well below the current "employee discount price" in most cases.
Now, in this particular case, since the manufacturer is going to be the only lessor, they will be the beneficiary. And the reason for doing it is simply cash. They hope that they will be able to get lease payments that exceed the potential sale price by an amount greater than the future value of the potential sale price. They may also hope this will prevent competition as it will not be quite as easy to get your hands on one to steal the technology, but I'd say that, if it's any good, someone will have one to take apart within weeks.
Yes, I do know that most automobile lessors are not the manufacturers. But the lessee is not getting a good deal. (OK, some business owners do get an advantage from it).
My point was that people who offer a lease on anything get a better deal than the people who sign the lease. I still say that the average person should not sign a lease for anything - except perhaps for housing.