In our London to Sofia EV duel, the BMW i5 eDrive40 beats the VW ID.4 Pro 2023 by 82 minutes, completing the 2442km route in 26h 17min. The key advantage? 3 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 7, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The BMW i5 eDrive40 needs only 11 charging stops compared to 14 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW i5 eDrive40
- Total time: 26h 17min (82 min faster)
- Charging stops: 11
- Charging time: 2h 18min
- Energy: ~420 kWh
- Distance: 2442km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
VW ID.4 Pro 2023 |
| Travel time |
26h 17min |
27h 39min |
| Charging time: |
2h 18min |
3h 38min |
| Charging stops: |
11 |
14 |
| Energy used |
~440 kWh |
~441 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
BMW i5 eDrive40 Route
- Start: London (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Fastned Gentbrugge Zuid (10 min, 29% → 61%)
-
Stop 2:
Shell Tienbaan (10 min, 21% → 55%)
-
Stop 3:
IONITY Bad Camberg West (10 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 4:
IONITY Haidt Süd (10 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 5:
Supercharger Euro Rastpark (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 6:
eCarUp Pendlerparkplatz (10 min, 11% → 53%)
-
Stop 7:
OMV Tankstelle (13 min, 10% → 58%)
-
Stop 8:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (23 min, 10% → 74%)
-
Stop 9:
OMV Martinci (10 min, 10% → 47%)
-
Stop 10:
JP Putevi Srbije (10 min, 23% → 55%)
-
Stop 11:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (22 min, 10% → 47%)
- Arrival: Sofia
VW ID.4 Pro 2023 Route
- Start: London (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Fastned Gentbrugge Zuid (10 min, 18% → 45%)
-
Stop 2:
Total Zolder Zuid (13 min, 13% → 49%)
-
Stop 3:
Shell Tankstelle (12 min, 10% → 44%)
-
Stop 4:
Medenbach West (14 min, 10% → 49%)
-
Stop 5:
Aral Autohof Mainfrankenpark (14 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 6:
EWE Go McDonald's (16 min, 10% → 54%)
-
Stop 7:
Shell Tankstelle (15 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 8:
Smatrics Ladepark wild & bolz eMotel (14 min, 10% → 49%)
-
Stop 9:
IONITY Dobrenje Zahod (13 min, 10% → 46%)
-
Stop 10:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (32 min, 10% → 75%)
-
Stop 11:
Odmorište Spačva (10 min, 10% → 20%)
-
Stop 12:
OMV Martinci (10 min, 10% → 37%)
-
Stop 13:
JP Putevi Srbije (21 min, 10% → 62%)
-
Stop 14:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (24 min, 10% → 52%)
- Arrival: Sofia
Why the BMW i5 eDrive40 Won
The BMW i5 eDrive40 achieved a 82-minute advantage over VW ID.4 Pro 2023 on this 2442km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 11 stops vs 14 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 2h 18min vs 3h 38min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
- Better efficiency: Lower energy consumption (~420 kWh vs ~427 kWh) means less time spent charging.
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