2021 head-to-head · Midsize Car
2021 Polestar 2 vs Tesla Model 3
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 · Electric motor (150 kW) · Single-speed · 92 MPGe · 233 mi
The 2021 Tesla Model 3 is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with 18¢/kWh electricity, it costs about $640 a year to fuel (142 MPGe), versus $991 for the 2021 Polestar 2 (92 MPGe). That's roughly $351 a year, or about $1,755 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
- Polestar 2
- Tesla Model 3
Side by side
| Polestar 2 | Tesla Model 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| $991 | Your annual fuel cost | $640 |
| 92 MPGe | Combined efficiency | 142 MPGe |
| 96 MPGe | City | 150 MPGe |
| 88 MPGe | Highway | 133 MPGe |
| 36.7 kWh | Electricity use (kWh/100 mi) | 23.7 kWh |
| 233 mi | Driving range | 263 mi |
| 89 cu ft | Passenger volume | 97 cu ft |
| 26 cu ft | Cargo volume | 15 cu ft |
| 0 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 0 g/mi |
| 10/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 10/10 |
| 10/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 10/10 |
| 8 hrs | Charge time at 240V | 7.8 hrs |
| Electric | Powertrain | Electric |
| Electricity | Fuel | Electricity |
| Electric motor (150 kW) | Engine / motor | Electric motor (198 kW) |
| Single-speed | Transmission | Single-speed |
| AWD | Drivetrain | RWD |
✓ 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.
Polestar 2 vs Tesla Model 3 across model years
- Polestar 2
- Tesla Model 3
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
The Tesla Model 3 goes farther between stops: about 263 miles on a charge, compared with 233 miles for the Polestar 2.
Per EPA interior volume figures, the Tesla Model 3 has more passenger space (97 vs. 89 cu ft); the Polestar 2 has more cargo space (26 vs. 15 cu ft).
Among 54 2021 midsize cars, the Polestar 2 ranks 10th and the Tesla Model 3 1st for lowest fuel cost.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2021 Polestar 2 or the 2021 Tesla Model 3?
Measured by cost to drive, the Tesla Model 3. The Polestar 2 is rated 92 MPGe combined and the Tesla Model 3 142 MPGe (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2021 Polestar 2 vs. the Tesla Model 3 per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with 18¢/kWh electricity, about $991 for the Polestar 2 and $640 for the Tesla Model 3.
Which has more range?
The Tesla Model 3: about 263 miles versus 233 miles.
Which has more cargo space?
The Polestar 2, with 26 cu ft of luggage volume versus 15 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).
Polestar 2 vs Tesla Model 3 in other years
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