In our Lisbon to Sofia EV duel, the BMW iX3 50 xDrive beats the BMW i5 eDrive40 by 121 minutes, completing the 3525km route in 34h 58min. The key advantage? 9 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 3, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The BMW iX3 50 xDrive needs only 8 charging stops compared to 17 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW iX3 50 xDrive
- Total time: 34h 58min (121 min faster)
- Charging stops: 8
- Charging time: 2h 9min
- Energy: ~591 kWh
- Distance: 3525km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
BMW iX3 50 xDrive |
| Travel time |
36h 59min |
34h 58min |
| Charging time: |
3h 35min |
2h 9min |
| Charging stops: |
17 |
8 |
| Energy used |
~635 kWh |
~629 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
BMW i5 eDrive40 Route
- Start: Lisbon (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
IONITY Cepsa (11 min, 10% → 55%)
-
Stop 2:
Autovía de Castilla (21 min, 10% → 72%)
-
Stop 3:
Supercharger Telleria Industrialdea (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 4:
Supercharger Super-U (10 min, 19% → 55%)
-
Stop 5:
IONITY Aire de Garonne (12 min, 17% → 60%)
-
Stop 6:
Aire de Loupian (10 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 7:
Aire de l'Arc (13 min, 10% → 60%)
-
Stop 8:
Conioli Sud (13 min, 10% → 40%)
-
Stop 9:
Area di Servizio Stura Est (13 min, 10% → 59%)
-
Stop 10:
Monte Alto Sud (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 11:
Supercharger Omnia Hotel (10 min, 11% → 51%)
-
Stop 12:
Lom east (Koper - Ljubljana) (10 min, 13% → 23%)
-
Stop 13:
Petrol (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 14:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (20 min, 22% → 74%)
-
Stop 15:
OMV Martinci (10 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 16:
JP Putevi Srbije (10 min, 23% → 55%)
-
Stop 17:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (22 min, 10% → 47%)
- Arrival: Sofia
BMW iX3 50 xDrive Route
- Start: Lisbon (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
IONITY Castelo Branco Leste (10 min, 61% → 88%)
-
Stop 2:
Area El Canto (13 min, 17% → 78%)
-
Stop 3:
IONITY Aire de Lacq Audejos Sud (15 min, 10% → 79%)
-
Stop 4:
Aire de Loupian (19 min, 10% → 88%)
-
Stop 5:
IONITY Ceriale Sud (10 min, 10% → 63%)
-
Stop 6:
Monte Alto Sud (18 min, 10% → 84%)
-
Stop 7:
IONITY MOL Tankstelle (12 min, 10% → 71%)
-
Stop 8:
OMV Martinci (32 min, 10% → 91%)
- Arrival: Sofia
Why the BMW iX3 50 xDrive Won
The BMW iX3 50 xDrive achieved a 121-minute advantage over BMW i5 eDrive40 on this 3525km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 8 stops vs 17 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 2h 9min vs 3h 35min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
- Better efficiency: Lower energy consumption (~591 kWh vs ~606 kWh) means less time spent charging.
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