In our Bucharest to Budapest EV duel, the Tesla Model 3 Performance beats the Tesla Model S 90 by 160 minutes, completing the 821km route in 9h 8min. The key advantage? 2 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on August 20, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
Despite costing 27,840 less, the Tesla Model 3 Performance beats the Tesla Model S 90 by 160 minutes on this route.
The Tesla Model 3 Performance needs only 2 charging stops compared to 4 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
Tesla Model 3 Performance
- Total time: 9h 8min (160 min faster)
- Charging stops: 2
- Charging time: 29min
- Energy: ~145 kWh
- Distance: 821km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Tesla Model 3 Performance |
Tesla Model S 90 |
| Travel time |
9h 8min |
11h 48min |
| Charging time: |
29min |
3h 6min |
| Charging stops: |
2 |
4 |
| Energy used |
~148 kWh |
~148 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
Tesla Model 3 Performance Route
- Start: Bucharest (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
OMV Miercurea Sibiului dreapta (11 min, 32% → 66%)
-
Stop 2:
OMV DN69 (18 min, 10% → 70%)
- Arrival: Budapest
Tesla Model S 90 Route
- Start: Bucharest (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
MOL Pitesti 3 (10 min, 74% → 82%)
-
Stop 2:
OMV Miercurea Sibiului dreapta (82 min, 12% → 86%)
-
Stop 3:
Rompetrol A1 Sagu Sens Arad (10 min, 10% → 19%)
-
Stop 4:
Spatiu Servicii A1 Pecica Sens Nadlac (84 min, 10% → 86%)
- Arrival: Budapest
Why the Tesla Model 3 Performance Won
The Tesla Model 3 Performance achieved a 160-minute advantage over Tesla Model S 90 on this 821km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 2 stops vs 4 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 29min vs 3h 6min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
- Better efficiency: Lower energy consumption (~145 kWh vs ~199 kWh) means less time spent charging.
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