In our Helsinki to Sofia EV duel, the BMW i5 eDrive40 beats the Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-tron by 87 minutes, completing the 2510km route in 33h 3min. The key advantage? 2 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 3, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The BMW i5 eDrive40 needs only 10 charging stops compared to 12 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW i5 eDrive40
- Total time: 33h 3min (87 min faster)
- Charging stops: 10
- Charging time: 3h 4min
- Energy: ~432 kWh
- Distance: 2510km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-tron |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
| Travel time |
34h 30min |
33h 3min |
| Charging time: |
4h 32min |
3h 4min |
| Charging stops: |
12 |
10 |
| Energy used |
~452 kWh |
~452 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-tron Route
- Start: Helsinki (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Neste (10 min, 29% → 55%)
-
Stop 2:
IONITY (10 min, 10% → 37%)
-
Stop 3:
Neste Šilagalio Žiedo (21 min, 13% → 64%)
-
Stop 4:
Kaufland (10 min, 10% → 37%)
-
Stop 5:
McDonald's Dubowo Drugie (29 min, 34% → 80%)
-
Stop 6:
Blue City (17 min, 10% → 56%)
-
Stop 7:
Shell MOP West (12 min, 10% → 44%)
-
Stop 8:
Centrum Zakupowe Jan (11 min, 10% → 40%)
-
Stop 9:
Tesco Teplická cesta (36 min, 10% → 80%)
-
Stop 10:
Inárcsi pihenőhely Szeged (36 min, 10% → 80%)
-
Stop 11:
OMV smer Beograd (56 min, 10% → 82%)
-
Stop 12:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (24 min, 10% → 52%)
- Arrival: Sofia
BMW i5 eDrive40 Route
- Start: Helsinki (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
IONITY Circle K Ādaži (10 min, 18% → 55%)
-
Stop 2:
Neste Šilagalio Žiedo (11 min, 15% → 58%)
-
Stop 3:
Kaufland (27 min, 10% → 74%)
-
Stop 4:
Blue City (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 5:
Shell MOP West (10 min, 10% → 36%)
-
Stop 6:
HPC Volvo Aleja Powstańców Śląskich (10 min, 12% → 48%)
-
Stop 7:
Tesco Teplická cesta (22 min, 15% → 71%)
-
Stop 8:
Inárcsi pihenőhely Szeged (21 min, 10% → 72%)
-
Stop 9:
OMV smer Beograd (41 min, 10% → 73%)
-
Stop 10:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (22 min, 10% → 47%)
- Arrival: Sofia
Why the BMW i5 eDrive40 Won
The BMW i5 eDrive40 achieved a 87-minute advantage over Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-tron on this 2510km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 10 stops vs 12 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 3h 4min vs 4h 32min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
- Better efficiency: Lower energy consumption (~432 kWh vs ~447 kWh) means less time spent charging.
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