An integrated model of electric bus energy consumption and optimised depot charging

Abstract

The electrification of buses, and the depots servicing them, is a high priority for sustainability but is hindered by challenges at the intersection of the mobility and electricity systems, such as trade-offs of charging infrastructure and scheduling with the stress placed on the grid. This paper presents a model for studying and co-optimise these variables. The model has two standout features. Firstly, that it integrates a data-driven model for predicting the energy consumption of electric buses based on route details with a bus depot charging optimisation algorithm that minimises the loading on the grid. Secondly, it is compatible with the publicly available route and schedule data published by bus operators and is available open-source for extension. The results foreground the impact of route topology, temperature, and traffic congestion on energy consumption, and the interdependencies of these with timetabling, charging infrastructure and battery designs in driving grid loading.