In our Sofia to Riga EV duel, the Kia EV9 beats the VW ID.3 Pro S 2023 by 20 minutes, completing the 2103km route in 25h 25min. The key advantage? 1 fewer charging stop. Route calculated on September 5, 2026 using real-time charging station data.
The VW ID.3 Pro S 2023's 460km range doesn't beat the Kia EV9's 450km here - charging speed and efficiency matter more.
The Kia EV9 needs only 8 charging stops compared to 9 for the slowest vehicle, saving valuable time.
Winner
Kia EV9
- Total time: 25h 25min (20 min faster)
- Charging stops: 8
- Charging time: 2h 17min
- Energy: ~444 kWh
- Distance: 2103km
Quick Comparison
| Metric |
Kia EV9 |
VW ID.3 Pro S 2023 |
| Travel time |
25h 25min |
25h 45min |
| Charging time: |
2h 17min |
2h 32min |
| Charging stops: |
8 |
9 |
| Energy used |
~379 kWh |
~381 kWh |
Charging Strategy Breakdown
Kia EV9 Route
- Start: Sofia (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
OMV Zemun Park (19 min, 10% → 71%)
-
Stop 2:
IONITY Csalánosi Csárda (10 min, 10% → 45%)
-
Stop 3:
Tesco (17 min, 16% → 69%)
-
Stop 4:
Biedronka Lotników (20 min, 10% → 53%)
-
Stop 5:
Shell MOP East (13 min, 10% → 51%)
-
Stop 6:
Wodny Park Warszawianka (22 min, 10% → 74%)
-
Stop 7:
Kaufland (26 min, 10% → 73%)
-
Stop 8:
Cafe Baltica (10 min, 10% → 41%)
- Arrival: Riga
VW ID.3 Pro S 2023 Route
- Start: Sofia (100% charge)
-
Stop 1:
JP Putevi Srbije (32 min, 16% → 80%)
-
Stop 2:
IONITY Csalánosi Csárda (10 min, 10% → 45%)
-
Stop 3:
Tesco (13 min, 15% → 56%)
-
Stop 4:
Kaufland Wolkera (12 min, 10% → 38%)
-
Stop 5:
Centrum Zakupowe Jan (10 min, 10% → 45%)
-
Stop 6:
Shell MOP East (11 min, 14% → 51%)
-
Stop 7:
Lakeside (27 min, 10% → 72%)
-
Stop 8:
MOP Rudniki Południe (27 min, 10% → 65%)
-
Stop 9:
Neste Šilagalio Žiedo (10 min, 10% → 47%)
- Arrival: Riga
Why the Kia EV9 Won
The Kia EV9 achieved a 20-minute advantage over VW ID.3 Pro S 2023 on this 2103km route. Key factors:
- Fewer charging stops: 8 stops vs 9 for the slowest vehicle means less time spent finding and connecting to chargers.
- Faster charging: Total charging time of 2h 17min vs 2h 32min thanks to higher peak charging speeds or better charging curve.
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