2021 head-to-head · Subcompact Car
2021 BMW 8 Series vs Polestar 1
MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.
AWD · 2.0L 4-cyl turbo · 8-speed automatic · 58 MPGe + 26 MPG
The 2021 Polestar 1 is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, it costs about $1,720 a year to fuel (58 MPGe + 26 MPG), versus $2,370 for the 2021 BMW 8 Series (25 MPG). That's roughly $650 a year, or about $3,252 over five years.
Your numbers
Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.
Fuel cost over 10 years
- BMW 8 Series
- Polestar 1
Side by side
| BMW 8 Series | Polestar 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| $2,370 | Your annual fuel cost | $1,720 |
| 25 MPG | Combined efficiency | 58 MPGe + 26 MPG |
| 23 MPG | City | 55 MPGe / 22 MPG |
| 30 MPG | Highway | 61 MPGe / 31 MPG |
| — | Electricity use (kWh/100 mi) | 57 kWh |
| — | Driving range | 470 mi |
| — | All-electric range | 52 mi |
| 81 cu ft | Passenger volume | 72 cu ft |
| 15 cu ft | Cargo volume | 4 cu ft |
| 347 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 93 g/mi |
| 5/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 9/10 |
| 5/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 10/10 |
| — | Charge time at 240V | 9 hrs |
| Gas | Powertrain | Plug-in hybrid |
| Premium gasoline | Fuel | Premium gas + electricity |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | Engine / motor | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo |
| 8-speed automatic | Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
| RWD | Drivetrain | AWD |
✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.
BMW 8 Series vs Polestar 1 across model years
- BMW 8 Series
- Polestar 1
Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.
How they differ
Per EPA interior volume figures, the BMW 8 Series has more passenger space (81 vs. 72 cu ft); the BMW 8 Series has more cargo space (15 vs. 4 cu ft).
Among 34 2021 subcompact cars, the BMW 8 Series ranks 20th and the Polestar 1 6th for lowest fuel cost.
The powertrains differ: the BMW 8 Series is a conventional gas model, while the Polestar 1 is a plug-in hybrid.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2021 BMW 8 Series or the 2021 Polestar 1?
Measured by cost to drive, the Polestar 1. The BMW 8 Series is rated 25 MPG combined and the Polestar 1 58 MPGe + 26 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2021 BMW 8 Series vs. the Polestar 1 per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, about $2,370 for the BMW 8 Series and $1,720 for the Polestar 1.
Which has more cargo space?
The BMW 8 Series, with 15 cu ft of luggage volume versus 4 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).
More 2021 comparisons
BMW 8 Series vs…
Or compare the 2021 BMW 8 Series with anything else: