Collaborative strategy for electric vehicle charging scheduling and route planning

Abstract

Due to varying energy demands and supply levels in different regions, the distribution of power load exhibits an imbalanced state. It contributes to increased power loss and poses a threat to the security constraints of the electrical grid. Simultaneously, the global energy transition has led to a continuous increase in the proportion of renewable energy integrated into the grid. Electric vehicles (EVs), serving as representative of renewable energy, further magnify this load imbalance with their charging requirements, which poses a significant challenge to the stable operation of the grid. Therefore, to ensure the smooth operation of the grid under the context of renewable energy integration, the authors investigate the coordinated strategies of EV charging scheduling and route planning. The authors first model the coupling of the transportation network with the smart grid as a cyber-physical system. Subsequently, the authors simulate and analyse the daily charging load curve of the network, capturing the travel characteristics of EVs. Based on this, the authors research the EV charging scheduling in both individual and collective travel scenarios during peak and off-peak hours. For the off-peak travel period of EVs, a charging schedule strategy based on travel plans is proposed, which reduces the time cost of EV owners' travel. Furthermore, for the collective travel of a large number of EVs within the system, a multi-EV charging scheduling strategy based on charging station load balancing is presented. This strategy effectively balances the load levels of various charging stations while reducing the overall system travel time. Ultimately, through experimental results, the authors demonstrate that by deploying appropriate charging scheduling strategies, EVs cease to be a burden on the grid and can be transformed into tools for balancing the loads across different regions.