In our Dublin to Sofia EV duel, the BMW i5 eDrive40 beats the Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range by 45 minutes, completing the 3000km route in 35h 12min. The key advantage? 5 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 8, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The BMW i5 eDrive40 needs only 12 charging stops compared to 17 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW i5 eDrive40
- Total time: 35h 12min (45 min faster)
- Charging stops: 12
- Charging time: 2h 58min
- Energy: ~516 kWh
- Distance: 3000km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range |
| Travel time |
35h 12min |
35h 57min |
| Charging time: |
2h 58min |
3h 39min |
| Charging stops: |
12 |
17 |
| Energy used |
~540 kWh |
~540 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
Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range Route
- Start: Dublin (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Supercharger Menai Science Park (12 min, 60% → 83%)
-
Stop 2:
Watford Gap Services Southbound (15 min, 10% → 62%)
-
Stop 3:
IONITY Maidstone (10 min, 10% → 48%)
-
Stop 4:
Supercharger Aushopping (10 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 5:
Fastned Gentbrugge Zuid (13 min, 15% → 59%)
-
Stop 6:
Shell Tienbaan (10 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 7:
IONITY Oberhonnefeld (10 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 8:
IONITY Weiskirchen Süd (10 min, 11% → 50%)
-
Stop 9:
Aral Tankstelle (10 min, 10% → 49%)
-
Stop 10:
AVIA Tankstelle (10 min, 10% → 48%)
-
Stop 11:
Shell Tankstelle (11 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 12:
Smatrics Ladepark wild & bolz eMotel (11 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 13:
IONITY Dobrenje Zahod (10 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 14:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (31 min, 10% → 87%)
-
Stop 15:
OMV Martinci (10 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 16:
JP Putevi Srbije (15 min, 18% → 65%)
-
Stop 17:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (21 min, 10% → 54%)
- Arrival: Sofia
Why the BMW i5 eDrive40 Won
The BMW i5 eDrive40 achieved a 45-minute advantage over Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range on this 3000km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 12 stops vs 17 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 2h 58min vs 3h 39min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
Related Comparisons