In our Bern to Sofia EV duel, the BMW i5 eDrive40 beats the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 by 109 minutes, completing the 1667km route in 18h 48min. The key advantage? 3 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 2, 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 8 charging stops compared to 11 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW i5 eDrive40
- Total time: 18h 48min (109 min faster)
- Charging stops: 8
- Charging time: 1h 42min
- Energy: ~287 kWh
- Distance: 1667km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
| Travel time |
20h 37min |
18h 48min |
| Charging time: |
3h 8min |
1h 42min |
| Charging stops: |
11 |
8 |
| Energy used |
~300 kWh |
~303 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 Route
- Start: Bern (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Lambro Sud (10 min, 22% → 43%)
-
Stop 2:
Monte Alto Sud (18 min, 11% → 51%)
-
Stop 3:
Vega (13 min, 10% → 38%)
-
Stop 4:
Smatrics Risparmio Casa (21 min, 10% → 55%)
-
Stop 5:
Dul Jug (12 min, 10% → 39%)
-
Stop 6:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (24 min, 10% → 61%)
-
Stop 7:
Tesla Supercharger (13 min, 10% → 42%)
-
Stop 8:
OMV Martinci (12 min, 10% → 40%)
-
Stop 9:
JP Putevi Srbije (29 min, 10% → 68%)
-
Stop 10:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (24 min, 10% → 41%)
-
Stop 11:
OMV (12 min, 10% → 27%)
- 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 109-minute advantage over Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 on this 1667km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 8 stops vs 11 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 1h 42min vs 3h 8min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
- Better efficiency: Lower energy consumption (~287 kWh vs ~368 kWh) means less time spent charging.
Related Comparisons