A method for operating an electrically driven or drivable motor vehicle comprising a current collector for contacting an overhead line extending above a roadway, and a drive train coupled to the current collector, wherein during an overhead-line operation in which the current collector is in contact with the overhead line, a switch is made, according to a vehicle speed (vVeh) and a calculated recuperation potential, between a converter operation, in which electrical energy is conducted via a DC voltage converter connected between the current collector and the drive train, and a bypass operation, in which electrical energy is conducted via a bypass line connected in parallel with the DC voltage converter, - wherein a torque (mEMDes) of an electric motor of the drive train is predicted for a predicted time (tP) on the basis of a driving profile preview, - wherein, in the case of a negative torque (mEMDes) for the predicted time (tP), a first energy amount (eLPM) of a recuperation energy to be expected for the converter operation and a second energy amount (eHPM) of a recuperation energy to be expected for the bypass operation (eHPM) are determined, - wherein a starting time for the energy amount calculation is adjusted on the basis of the relevant actual mode of operation with a switching time (TSswitch) for switching into the respective other mode of operation, - wherein the energy amounts (eLPM, eHPM) are compared with one another, - wherein a switch is made from the converter operation to the bypass operation if the vehicle speed (vVeh) is greater than a first speed threshold value and if the recuperation potential for the bypass operation is more energy-efficient than for the converter operation, and - wherein a switch is made from the bypass operation to the converter operation if the vehicle speed (vVeh) is less than a second speed threshold value or if the recuperation potential for the converter operation is more energy-efficient than for the bypass operation. - wherein a torque (mEMDes) of an electric motor of the drive train is predicted for a predicted time (tP) on the basis of a driving profile preview, - wherein, in the case of a negative torque (mEMDes) for the predicted time (tP), a first energy amount (eLPM) of a recuperation energy to be expected for the converter operation and a second energy amount (eHPM) of a recuperation energy to be expected for the bypass operation (eHPM) are determined, - wherein a starting time for the energy amount calculation is adjusted on the basis of the relevant actual mode of operation with a switching time (TSswitch) for switching into the respective other mode of operation, - wherein the energy amounts (eLPM, eHPM) are compared with one another, - wherein a switch is made from the converter operation to the bypass operation if the vehicle speed (vVeh) is greater than a first speed threshold value and if the recuperation potential for the bypass operation is more energy-efficient than for the converter operation, and - wherein a switch is made from the bypass operation to the converter operation if the vehicle speed (vVeh) is less than a second speed threshold value or if the recuperation potential for the converter operation is more energy-efficient than for the bypass operation.