A location model for electric vehicle (EV) public charging stations based on drivers’ existing activities

Abstract

Deploying electric vehicle (EV) public charging stations could alleviate range anxiety of EV drivers, ensuring EVs to provide similar performances as internal combustion engine vehicles by maintaining their existing activities. This study develops a location model for EV public charging stations aiming to maximumly maintain the existing activities of EV drivers. First, a deterministic process of EV charging choice is proposed to simulate EV drivers’ charging choice behavior. This process involves EV drivers’ existing activities, home and public charging availability, range anxiety, and the energy consumption of remaining trips. Second, a coverage location model for EV public charging stations is proposed, aiming to maximize EV drivers’ existing activities. Finally, the proposed model is applied to Beijing, China as a case study. The preliminary characteristics of drivers’ trips are obtained, showing that the necessary energy for 46 % drivers on five weekdays exceeds the capacity of EV battery. The optimal solutions show that a decent amount of charging network could fulfill 90 % EV drivers’ travel demand without changing their daily trips. The planned public charging stations mainly cover the high-tech and financial areas. The missed-trip EV drivers are also analyzed, being characterized with longer travel distances and without owning home chargers.