In our Dublin to Sofia EV duel, the BMW i5 eDrive40 beats the CUPRA Born 77 kWh by 48 minutes, completing the 3000km route in 35h 12min. The key advantage? 7 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 5, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The BMW i5 eDrive40 needs only 12 charging stops compared to 19 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW i5 eDrive40
- Total time: 35h 12min (48 min faster)
- Charging stops: 12
- Charging time: 2h 58min
- Energy: ~516 kWh
- Distance: 3000km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
CUPRA Born 77 kWh |
| Travel time |
35h 12min |
36h 0min |
| Charging time: |
2h 58min |
4h 23min |
| Charging stops: |
12 |
19 |
| Energy used |
~540 kWh |
~548 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
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
CUPRA Born 77 kWh Route
- Start: Dublin (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Circle K Dublin Port (15 min, 98% → 99%)
-
Stop 2:
Moto Hilton Park Southbound (10 min, 10% → 20%)
-
Stop 3:
Birmingham Armada (10 min, 14% → 42%)
-
Stop 4:
Supercharger Poplars Garden Centre (11 min, 12% → 44%)
-
Stop 5:
Maidstone services (12 min, 10% → 45%)
-
Stop 6:
Supercharger Aushopping (10 min, 10% → 39%)
-
Stop 7:
Fastned Gentbrugge Zuid (10 min, 10% → 40%)
-
Stop 8:
Total Zolder Zuid (12 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 9:
Shell Tankstelle (11 min, 10% → 43%)
-
Stop 10:
Medenbach West (12 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 11:
Aral Autohof Mainfrankenpark (13 min, 10% → 49%)
-
Stop 12:
EWE Go McDonald's (15 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 13:
Shell Tankstelle (13 min, 10% → 49%)
-
Stop 14:
Smatrics Ladepark wild & bolz eMotel (12 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 15:
IONITY Dobrenje Zahod (11 min, 10% → 44%)
-
Stop 16:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (35 min, 10% → 80%)
-
Stop 17:
OMV Martinci (10 min, 10% → 39%)
-
Stop 18:
JP Putevi Srbije (18 min, 13% → 60%)
-
Stop 19:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (23 min, 10% → 50%)
- Arrival: Sofia
Why the BMW i5 eDrive40 Won
The BMW i5 eDrive40 achieved a 48-minute advantage over CUPRA Born 77 kWh on this 3000km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 12 stops vs 19 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 2h 58min vs 4h 23min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
- Better efficiency: Lower energy consumption (~516 kWh vs ~547 kWh) means less time spent charging.
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