In our Bern to Sofia EV duel, the BMW i5 eDrive40 beats the Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-tron by 50 minutes, completing the 1686km route in 18h 48min. The key advantage? 1 fewer charging stop. Route calculated on September 2, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The BMW i5 eDrive40 needs only 8 charging stops compared to 9 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW i5 eDrive40
- Total time: 18h 48min (50 min faster)
- Charging stops: 8
- Charging time: 1h 42min
- Energy: ~290 kWh
- Distance: 1686km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-tron |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
| Travel time |
19h 38min |
18h 48min |
| Charging time: |
2h 22min |
1h 42min |
| Charging stops: |
9 |
8 |
| Energy used |
~303 kWh |
~303 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-tron Route
- Start: Bern (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Valtrompia Sud (21 min, 11% → 62%)
-
Stop 2:
Supercharger Omnia Hotel (16 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 3:
Lom east (Koper - Ljubljana) (12 min, 10% → 24%)
-
Stop 4:
Petrol (11 min, 10% → 41%)
-
Stop 5:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (17 min, 10% → 55%)
-
Stop 6:
Tesla Supercharger (10 min, 10% → 39%)
-
Stop 7:
OMV Martinci (10 min, 10% → 37%)
-
Stop 8:
JP Putevi Srbije (21 min, 10% → 62%)
-
Stop 9:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (24 min, 10% → 52%)
- Arrival: Sofia
BMW i5 eDrive40 Route
- Start: Bern (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Monte Alto Sud (10 min, 14% → 53%)
-
Stop 2:
Supercharger Omnia Hotel (10 min, 14% → 53%)
-
Stop 3:
Lom east (Koper - Ljubljana) (10 min, 15% → 25%)
-
Stop 4:
Petrol (10 min, 12% → 52%)
-
Stop 5:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (20 min, 24% → 74%)
-
Stop 6:
OMV Martinci (10 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 7:
JP Putevi Srbije (10 min, 23% → 55%)
-
Stop 8:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (22 min, 10% → 47%)
- Arrival: Sofia
Why the BMW i5 eDrive40 Won
The BMW i5 eDrive40 achieved a 50-minute advantage over Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-tron on this 1686km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 8 stops vs 9 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 1h 42min vs 2h 22min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
- Better efficiency: Lower energy consumption (~290 kWh vs ~301 kWh) means less time spent charging.
Related Comparisons