In our Riga to Madrid EV duel, the BMW i5 eDrive40 beats the Kia Niro EV by 227 minutes, completing the 3335km route in 36h 37min. The key advantage? 8 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 7, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The BMW i5 eDrive40 needs only 14 charging stops compared to 22 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW i5 eDrive40
- Total time: 36h 37min (227 min faster)
- Charging stops: 14
- Charging time: 3h 18min
- Energy: ~574 kWh
- Distance: 3335km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
Kia Niro EV |
| Travel time |
36h 37min |
40h 24min |
| Charging time: |
3h 18min |
6h 58min |
| Charging stops: |
14 |
22 |
| Energy used |
~600 kWh |
~601 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
BMW i5 eDrive40 Route
- Start: Riga (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Circle K (32 min, 49% → 81%)
-
Stop 2:
IONITY Olsze Południe (18 min, 10% → 68%)
-
Stop 3:
MOP Dopiewiec (10 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 4:
Autohaus König (10 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 5:
Supercharger Irxleben (10 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 6:
Fastned Rastplatz Löwenburg (13 min, 10% → 60%)
-
Stop 7:
Aral Tankstelle Aachener Straße 1100 (13 min, 10% → 59%)
-
Stop 8:
IONITY Le Rœulx Nord (13 min, 10% → 59%)
-
Stop 9:
Bauer Paris Occasion (11 min, 10% → 55%)
-
Stop 10:
IONITY Aire de Blois-Villerbon (14 min, 10% → 61%)
-
Stop 11:
Supercharger N10 (10 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 12:
Aire Fontbelleau Paris Bayonne (19 min, 16% → 70%)
-
Stop 13:
Supercharger Telleria Industrialdea (10 min, 10% → 52%)
-
Stop 14:
Supercharger Calle Herreros (15 min, 10% → 62%)
- Arrival: Madrid
Kia Niro EV Route
- Start: Riga (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Circle K (47 min, 37% → 86%)
-
Stop 2:
Kaufland (10 min, 10% → 25%)
-
Stop 3:
IONITY Olsze Południe (19 min, 13% → 53%)
-
Stop 4:
MOP Żnin Zachód (13 min, 10% → 39%)
-
Stop 5:
MOP Dopiewiec (14 min, 10% → 40%)
-
Stop 6:
MOP Walewice (13 min, 10% → 39%)
-
Stop 7:
Aral Autohof Niederlehme (28 min, 10% → 66%)
-
Stop 8:
Fastned Rastplatz Uhry Nord (18 min, 10% → 49%)
-
Stop 9:
Fastned Rastplatz Löwenburg (23 min, 10% → 57%)
-
Stop 10:
Ehrenberg West (23 min, 10% → 57%)
-
Stop 11:
IONITY Bierset (20 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 12:
Aire de La Sentinelle Ouest (22 min, 10% → 55%)
-
Stop 13:
IONITY Novotel Roissy Saint-Witz (10 min, 10% → 30%)
-
Stop 14:
Aire de Limours-Janvry (10 min, 11% → 31%)
-
Stop 15:
IONITY McDonald's (20 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 16:
Aire de Ste Maure de Touraine (19 min, 10% → 50%)
-
Stop 17:
Fastned Aire des Groies (17 min, 10% → 46%)
-
Stop 18:
Aire de l'Estalot (19 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 19:
Supercharger McDonald's (18 min, 10% → 48%)
-
Stop 20:
Supercharger Telleria Industrialdea (25 min, 10% → 61%)
-
Stop 21:
Supercharger Calle Herreros (11 min, 10% → 34%)
-
Stop 22:
IONITY Área de Servicio Milagros (19 min, 10% → 51%)
- Arrival: Madrid
Why the BMW i5 eDrive40 Won
The BMW i5 eDrive40 achieved a 227-minute advantage over Kia Niro EV on this 3335km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 14 stops vs 22 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 3h 18min vs 6h 58min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
- Better efficiency: Lower energy consumption (~574 kWh vs ~577 kWh) means less time spent charging.
Related Comparisons