In our London to Madrid EV duel, the Aiways U5 beats the BYD Dolphin Surf Active by 174 minutes, completing the 1696km route in 20h 26min. The key advantage? 7 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 6, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The Aiways U5 needs only 13 charging stops compared to 20 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
Aiways U5
- Total time: 20h 26min (174 min faster)
- Charging stops: 13
- Charging time: 2h 57min
- Energy: ~318 kWh
- Distance: 1696km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Aiways U5 |
BYD Dolphin Surf Active |
| Travel time |
20h 26min |
23h 20min |
| Charging time: |
2h 57min |
5h 20min |
| Charging stops: |
13 |
20 |
| Energy used |
~305 kWh |
~307 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
Aiways U5 Route
- Start: London (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
IONITY Holiday Inn Calais (10 min, 45% → 61%)
-
Stop 2:
Les Viviers Canger (10 min, 10% → 37%)
-
Stop 3:
Aire de Bosgouet Nord (26 min, 14% → 67%)
-
Stop 4:
Jardiland (13 min, 10% → 46%)
-
Stop 5:
Relais de la Ronde (15 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 6:
IONITY Aire de Poitou-Charentes Nord (10 min, 10% → 37%)
-
Stop 7:
Aire de Saint-Léger Ouest (10 min, 10% → 38%)
-
Stop 8:
Aire Fontbelleau Paris Bayonne (15 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 9:
Aire de l'Océan Ouest (18 min, 10% → 56%)
-
Stop 10:
Supercharger Telleria Industrialdea (10 min, 10% → 37%)
-
Stop 11:
Repsol Lopidana (12 min, 14% → 47%)
-
Stop 12:
Supercharger Calle Herreros (17 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 13:
Gasolinera Mirasierra (11 min, 10% → 42%)
- Arrival: Madrid
BYD Dolphin Surf Active Route
- Start: London (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Supercharger Eurotunnel (16 min, 38% → 74%)
-
Stop 2:
Aire des Falaises de Widehem Ouest (28 min, 10% → 76%)
-
Stop 3:
Les Viviers Canger (13 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 4:
Aire de Bosgouet Nord (33 min, 10% → 85%)
-
Stop 5:
Aire de la Dentelle d'Alençon (10 min, 10% → 42%)
-
Stop 6:
Jardiland (10 min, 12% → 43%)
-
Stop 7:
IONITY Aire de Parcé-sur-Sarthe Ouest (11 min, 19% → 52%)
-
Stop 8:
Relais de la Ronde (32 min, 10% → 84%)
-
Stop 9:
IONITY Aire de Poitou-Charentes Nord (17 min, 10% → 59%)
-
Stop 10:
Aire de Saint-Léger Ouest (18 min, 10% → 61%)
-
Stop 11:
Aire Fontbelleau Paris Bayonne (14 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 12:
Aire de la Porte des Landes Ouest (10 min, 10% → 40%)
-
Stop 13:
Aire de l'Océan Ouest (10 min, 10% → 42%)
-
Stop 14:
IONITY Aire de Labenne Ouest (19 min, 12% → 64%)
-
Stop 15:
Supercharger Telleria Industrialdea (13 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 16:
Repsol Lopidana (13 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 17:
IONITY Briviesca Norte (14 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 18:
Supercharger Carburantes (10 min, 10% → 42%)
-
Stop 19:
Supercharger Aranda de Duero (18 min, 11% → 63%)
-
Stop 20:
El Cancho Del Aguila (11 min, 10% → 46%)
- Arrival: Madrid
Why the Aiways U5 Won
The Aiways U5 achieved a 174-minute advantage over BYD Dolphin Surf Active on this 1696km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 13 stops vs 20 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 2h 57min vs 5h 20min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
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