In our Dublin to Sofia EV duel, the BMW i5 eDrive40 beats the BMW i4 M60 xDrive by 30 minutes, completing the 3004km route in 35h 12min. The key advantage? 4 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 6, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The BMW i4 M60 xDrive's 501km range doesn't beat the BMW i5 eDrive40's 465km here - charging speed and efficiency matter more.
The BMW i5 eDrive40 needs only 12 charging stops compared to 16 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW i5 eDrive40
- Total time: 35h 12min (30 min faster)
- Charging stops: 12
- Charging time: 2h 58min
- Energy: ~517 kWh
- Distance: 3004km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
BMW i4 M60 xDrive |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
| Travel time |
35h 42min |
35h 12min |
| Charging time: |
3h 10min |
2h 58min |
| Charging stops: |
16 |
12 |
| Energy used |
~541 kWh |
~540 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
BMW i4 M60 xDrive Route
- Start: Dublin (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
IONITY Village Hotel (10 min, 12% → 51%)
-
Stop 2:
Moto Toddington Southbound (10 min, 15% → 54%)
-
Stop 3:
IONITY Maidstone (10 min, 19% → 58%)
-
Stop 4:
Diksmuidestraat (12 min, 10% → 58%)
-
Stop 5:
Lukoil (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 6:
Shell Tankstelle Heidestraße (10 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 7:
Medenbach West (10 min, 10% → 49%)
-
Stop 8:
Aral Autohof Mainfrankenpark (10 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 9:
EWE Go McDonald's (11 min, 10% → 55%)
-
Stop 10:
Shell Tankstelle (10 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 11:
Smatrics Ladepark wild & bolz eMotel (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 12:
IONITY Dobrenje Zahod (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 13:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (10 min, 14% → 56%)
-
Stop 14:
Tesla Supercharger (16 min, 10% → 66%)
-
Stop 15:
JP Putevi Srbije (15 min, 10% → 63%)
-
Stop 16:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (26 min, 10% → 53%)
- Arrival: Sofia
BMW i5 eDrive40 Route
- Start: Dublin (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Electric Highway Rugby Services (12 min, 10% → 57%)
-
Stop 2:
IONITY Maidstone (18 min, 10% → 67%)
-
Stop 3:
Fastned Gentbrugge Zuid (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 4:
Shell Tienbaan (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 5:
E-Maxx Ladepark (11 min, 10% → 55%)
-
Stop 6:
Aral Autohof Mainfrankenpark (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 7:
Seidl Confiserie (11 min, 11% → 55%)
-
Stop 8:
eCarUp Pendlerparkplatz (10 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 9:
OMV Tankstelle (13 min, 10% → 58%)
-
Stop 10:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (23 min, 10% → 74%)
-
Stop 11:
OMV Martinci (28 min, 10% → 78%)
-
Stop 12:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (22 min, 10% → 47%)
- Arrival: Sofia
Why the BMW i5 eDrive40 Won
The BMW i5 eDrive40 achieved a 30-minute advantage over BMW i4 M60 xDrive on this 3004km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 12 stops vs 16 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 2h 58min vs 3h 10min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
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