In our Bucharest to Brussels EV duel, the Aiways U5 beats the BMW i3 42kWh by 184 minutes, completing the 2170km route in 24h 52min. The key advantage? 5 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 184 minutes on this route.
The Aiways U5 needs only 18 charging stops compared to 23 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
Aiways U5
- Total time: 24h 52min (184 min faster)
- Charging stops: 18
- Charging time: 3h 49min
- Energy: ~407 kWh
- Distance: 2170km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Aiways U5 |
BMW i3 42kWh |
| Travel time |
24h 52min |
27h 56min |
| Charging time: |
3h 49min |
6h 52min |
| Charging stops: |
18 |
23 |
| Energy used |
~391 kWh |
~393 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
Aiways U5 Route
- Start: Bucharest (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Petrom Maracineni (10 min, 63% → 72%)
-
Stop 2:
OMV Miercurea Sibiului dreapta (Truck) (16 min, 12% → 54%)
-
Stop 3:
OMV (17 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 4:
Spatiu Servicii A1 Pecica Sens Nadlac (22 min, 10% → 61%)
-
Stop 5:
IONITY Csalánosi Csárda (12 min, 10% → 43%)
-
Stop 6:
Páty Nord (12 min, 10% → 44%)
-
Stop 7:
IONITY Győr (14 min, 10% → 48%)
-
Stop 8:
Shell Hadikgasse (16 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 9:
Shell Raststation Strengberg (10 min, 10% → 38%)
-
Stop 10:
Aigner Powerful Logistics (14 min, 10% → 48%)
-
Stop 11:
IONITY Bayerischer Wald Nord (10 min, 10% → 38%)
-
Stop 12:
Mer McDonald's (13 min, 10% → 46%)
-
Stop 13:
Aral Tankstelle (10 min, 10% → 40%)
-
Stop 14:
PWC Rastanlage Kohlsberg Nord (11 min, 10% → 42%)
-
Stop 15:
Medenbach Ost (10 min, 10% → 39%)
-
Stop 16:
IONITY Oberhonnefeld (10 min, 10% → 37%)
-
Stop 17:
Frechen Nord (10 min, 11% → 39%)
-
Stop 18:
Fastned Carpool Maasmechelen (12 min, 10% → 43%)
- Arrival: Brussels
BMW i3 42kWh Route
- Start: Bucharest (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Petrom Maracineni (12 min, 52% → 71%)
-
Stop 2:
Supercharger Prima Shopping Center (10 min, 10% → 29%)
-
Stop 3:
OMV Miercurea Sibiului dreapta (30 min, 11% → 67%)
-
Stop 4:
OMV (15 min, 10% → 41%)
-
Stop 5:
Spatiu Servicii A1 Giarmata Sens Arad (12 min, 10% → 34%)
-
Stop 6:
Spatiu Servicii A1 Pecica Sens Nadlac (39 min, 10% → 75%)
-
Stop 7:
IONITY Csalánosi Csárda (21 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 8:
Páty Nord (22 min, 10% → 54%)
-
Stop 9:
IONITY Győr (21 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 10:
ÖAMTC Stützpunkt (20 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 11:
Electra Sleep-In Motel (13 min, 10% → 36%)
-
Stop 12:
Shell Raststation Strengberg (18 min, 10% → 46%)
-
Stop 13:
Aigner Powerful Logistics (11 min, 10% → 33%)
-
Stop 14:
Donautal Ost (13 min, 10% → 37%)
-
Stop 15:
Bayerischer Wald Nord (21 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 16:
Jura Ost (20 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 17:
Aral Tankstelle (11 min, 10% → 32%)
-
Stop 18:
Würzburg Nord (19 min, 10% → 49%)
-
Stop 19:
Weiskirchen Nord (20 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 20:
Nentershausen Ost (12 min, 10% → 34%)
-
Stop 21:
Rastplatz Logebachtal Ost (12 min, 10% → 35%)
-
Stop 22:
Frechen Nord (18 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 23:
Fastned Carpool Maasmechelen (22 min, 10% → 53%)
- Arrival: Brussels
Why the Aiways U5 Won
The Aiways U5 achieved a 184-minute advantage over BMW i3 42kWh on this 2170km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 18 stops vs 23 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 3h 49min vs 6h 52min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
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