Optimal sizing and location of a fast charging infrastructure network for urban areas

Abstract

In this paper, we deal with the design of a sustainable network of charging stations for electric vehicles circulating in an urban area. The major obstacles to E-Mobility (EM) development are still to be found into heated debates both in the scientific and industrial field and into a lacking of a widespread, accessible and homogeneous recharge infrastructure for the electric vehicles. In this work, we face the problem known as location optimization of charging stations and offer a heuristic method to design a sustainable infrastructure for the electric vehicles charging into urban contexts. In particular, the research can help mayors and governors of cities to take decisions concerning the number, the type and the placement of charging stations, taking into account the estimated hourly demand of charging services. Obviously, the design of an appropriate network includes the definition of all the needed costs to build the infrastructure and then the analysis of economic sustainability of the network basing on the revenues coming from estimated demand. The profitability of single charging stations is one of the main criteria to choose for the installation of a station. In this study we assume homogeneous pricing policy like in a monopoly scenario among charging stations. Future research can investigate on the effect of different prices applied by stations in the network design.