In our Rome to Sofia EV duel, the BMW i5 eDrive40 beats the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 by 106 minutes, completing the 1656km route in 17h 45min. The key advantage? 4 fewer charging stops. Route calculated on September 6, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55's 480km range doesn't beat the BMW i5 eDrive40's 465km here - charging speed and efficiency matter more.
The BMW i5 eDrive40 needs only 6 charging stops compared to 10 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
BMW i5 eDrive40
- Total time: 17h 45min (106 min faster)
- Charging stops: 6
- Charging time: 1h 27min
- Energy: ~285 kWh
- Distance: 1656km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 |
BMW i5 eDrive40 |
| Travel time |
19h 31min |
17h 45min |
| Charging time: |
3h 9min |
1h 27min |
| Charging stops: |
10 |
6 |
| Energy used |
~298 kWh |
~298 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 Route
- Start: Rome (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Osteria De'Giusti (19 min, 30% → 66%)
-
Stop 2:
Adige Est (23 min, 10% → 59%)
-
Stop 3:
Smatrics Risparmio Casa (21 min, 10% → 55%)
-
Stop 4:
Dul Jug (12 min, 10% → 39%)
-
Stop 5:
Supercharger Designer Outlet Croatia (24 min, 10% → 61%)
-
Stop 6:
Tesla Supercharger (13 min, 10% → 42%)
-
Stop 7:
OMV Martinci (12 min, 10% → 40%)
-
Stop 8:
JP Putevi Srbije (29 min, 10% → 68%)
-
Stop 9:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (24 min, 10% → 41%)
-
Stop 10:
OMV (12 min, 10% → 27%)
- Arrival: Sofia
BMW i5 eDrive40 Route
- Start: Rome (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
Area di Servizio Castel Bentivoglio Est (13 min, 14% → 60%)
-
Stop 2:
Smatrics Risparmio Casa (10 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 3:
IONITY MOL Tankstelle (16 min, 10% → 65%)
-
Stop 4:
Tesla Supercharger (13 min, 10% → 59%)
-
Stop 5:
JP Putevi Srbije (13 min, 10% → 55%)
-
Stop 6:
Naplatna rampa Nais zapadno (22 min, 10% → 47%)
- Arrival: Sofia
Why the BMW i5 eDrive40 Won
The BMW i5 eDrive40 achieved a 106-minute advantage over Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron 55 on this 1656km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 6 stops vs 10 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 1h 27min vs 3h 9min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
- Better efficiency: Lower energy consumption (~285 kWh vs ~366 kWh) means less time spent charging.
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