In our Brussels to Bucharest EV duel, the Aiways U5 beats the BMW i3 42kWh by 181 minutes, completing the 2171km route in 25h 3min. The key advantage? 3 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 5, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
Despite costing 3,007 less, the Aiways U5 beats the BMW i3 42kWh by 181 minutes on this route.
The Aiways U5 needs only 17 charging stops compared to 20 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
Aiways U5
- Total time: 25h 3min (181 min faster)
- Charging stops: 17
- Charging time: 3h 51min
- Energy: ~407 kWh
- Distance: 2171km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Aiways U5 |
BMW i3 42kWh |
| Travel time |
25h 3min |
28h 4min |
| Charging time: |
3h 51min |
6h 53min |
| Charging stops: |
17 |
20 |
| Energy used |
~391 kWh |
~393 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
Aiways U5 Route
- Start: Brussels (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
IONITY Oberhonnefeld (10 min, 13% → 40%)
-
Stop 2:
Medenbach West (13 min, 11% → 46%)
-
Stop 3:
Euro Hotel (11 min, 10% → 42%)
-
Stop 4:
Aral Autohof Gremsdorf (11 min, 10% → 41%)
-
Stop 5:
EWE Go McDonald's (10 min, 10% → 38%)
-
Stop 6:
IONITY Bayerischer Wald Süd (10 min, 10% → 38%)
-
Stop 7:
Shell Tankstelle (12 min, 10% → 43%)
-
Stop 8:
JET Tankstelle (10 min, 10% → 38%)
-
Stop 9:
Raststation Sankt Pölten (13 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 10:
HPC Autohaus Kamper (11 min, 10% → 42%)
-
Stop 11:
IONITY Bábolna (14 min, 10% → 49%)
-
Stop 12:
Inárcsi pihenőhely Szeged (25 min, 10% → 65%)
-
Stop 13:
MOL Szent Gellért pihenőhely (10 min, 10% → 37%)
-
Stop 14:
Rompetrol A1 Sagu Sens Timisoara (10 min, 17% → 44%)
-
Stop 15:
OMV (17 min, 10% → 54%)
-
Stop 16:
OMV Miercurea Sibiului stanga (Truck) (30 min, 10% → 70%)
-
Stop 17:
Kaufland Gavana (14 min, 10% → 48%)
- Arrival: Bucharest
BMW i3 42kWh Route
- Start: Brussels (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
IONITY Aachener Land Süd (13 min, 38% → 61%)
-
Stop 2:
IONITY Oberhonnefeld (19 min, 10% → 48%)
-
Stop 3:
Medenbach West (24 min, 10% → 56%)
-
Stop 4:
Euro Hotel (21 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 5:
Aral Autohof Gremsdorf (19 min, 10% → 49%)
-
Stop 6:
EWE Go McDonald's (18 min, 10% → 46%)
-
Stop 7:
Bayerischer Wald Süd (18 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 8:
Shell Tankstelle (22 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 9:
JET Tankstelle (14 min, 10% → 39%)
-
Stop 10:
Supercharger Weierbachweg (21 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 11:
McDonald's (21 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 12:
IONITY Győr (22 min, 10% → 54%)
-
Stop 13:
Páty Süd (21 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 14:
IONITY Csalánosi Csárda (27 min, 10% → 61%)
-
Stop 15:
MOL Szent Gellért pihenőhely (19 min, 10% → 48%)
-
Stop 16:
Spatiu Servicii A1 Giarmata Sens Timisoara (15 min, 10% → 41%)
-
Stop 17:
OMV (31 min, 10% → 67%)
-
Stop 18:
OMV Miercurea Sibiului stanga (10 min, 10% → 29%)
-
Stop 19:
Supercharger Prima Shopping Center (33 min, 11% → 71%)
-
Stop 20:
Petrom Maracineni (25 min, 10% → 58%)
- Arrival: Bucharest
Why the Aiways U5 Won
The Aiways U5 achieved a 181-minute advantage over BMW i3 42kWh on this 2171km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 17 stops vs 20 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 3h 51min vs 6h 53min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
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