In our Bucharest to Budapest EV duel, the Aiways U5 beats the BMW i3 42kWh by 68 minutes, completing the 826km route in 10h 12min. The key advantage? 2 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 68 minutes on this route.
The Aiways U5 needs only 5 charging stops compared to 7 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
Aiways U5
- Total time: 10h 12min (68 min faster)
- Charging stops: 5
- Charging time: 1h 15min
- Energy: ~155 kWh
- Distance: 826km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Aiways U5 |
BMW i3 42kWh |
| Travel time |
10h 12min |
11h 20min |
| Charging time: |
1h 15min |
2h 16min |
| Charging stops: |
5 |
7 |
| Energy used |
~149 kWh |
~149 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 (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 (10 min, 10% → 38%)
- Arrival: Budapest
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 (18 min, 10% → 46%)
- Arrival: Budapest
Why the Aiways U5 Won
The Aiways U5 achieved a 68-minute advantage over BMW i3 42kWh on this 826km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 5 stops vs 7 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 1h 15min vs 2h 16min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
Related Comparisons