In our Berlin to Sofia EV duel, the BMW i5 eDrive40 beats the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 by 111 minutes, completing the 1627km route in 17h 2min. The key advantage? 4 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 5, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55's 480km range doesn't beat the BMW i5 eDrive40's 465km here - charging speed and efficiency matter more.
The BMW i5 eDrive40 needs only 6 charging stops compared to 10 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW i5 eDrive40
- Total time: 17h 2min (111 min faster)
- Charging stops: 6
- Charging time: 1h 47min
- Energy: ~280 kWh
- Distance: 1627km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
| Travel time |
18h 53min |
17h 2min |
| Charging time: |
3h 39min |
1h 47min |
| Charging stops: |
10 |
6 |
| Energy used |
~293 kWh |
~292 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 Route
- Start: Berlin (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Bahnhof Neustadt (14 min, 47% → 71%)
-
Stop 2:
IONITY Bageterie Boulevard (10 min, 10% → 34%)
-
Stop 3:
OC Karlov (10 min, 11% → 37%)
-
Stop 4:
IONITY Shell Ladná směr Bratislava (19 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 5:
IONITY Győr (13 min, 10% → 41%)
-
Stop 6:
Páty Nord (12 min, 10% → 39%)
-
Stop 7:
IONITY Csalánosi Csárda (34 min, 10% → 75%)
-
Stop 8:
OMV smer Beograd (71 min, 10% → 90%)
-
Stop 9:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (24 min, 10% → 41%)
-
Stop 10:
OMV (12 min, 10% → 27%)
- Arrival: Sofia
BMW i5 eDrive40 Route
- Start: Berlin (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
McDonald's (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 2:
Ladná směr Brno (10 min, 11% → 51%)
-
Stop 3:
IONITY Bábolna (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 4:
IONITY Csalánosi Csárda (14 min, 11% → 61%)
-
Stop 5:
OMV smer Beograd (41 min, 10% → 73%)
-
Stop 6:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (22 min, 10% → 47%)
- Arrival: Sofia
Why the BMW i5 eDrive40 Won
The BMW i5 eDrive40 achieved a 111-minute advantage over Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 on this 1627km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 6 stops vs 10 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 1h 47min vs 3h 39min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
- Better efficiency: Lower energy consumption (~280 kWh vs ~359 kWh) means less time spent charging.
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