Mathematical Modelling to Optimise an Urban Electric Vehicle Charging System

Many countries are embracing the adoption of electric vehicles for private transportation as a key measure in decarbonising their transportation sectors. In the UK, the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy provides a blueprint for industry players to reduce carbon emissions, aligning with the nation’s commitment to reach net zero emissions – a state where human generated greenhouse gases are balanced by their removal from the atmosphere. In line with this commitment, the UK is transitioning from conventional vehicles to electric vehicles, with a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles slated for 2030. This transition underscores the need for reliable charging infrastructure and systems to support the growing demand for electric vehicles. In this article, a charging system for urban areas is proposed. An integer linear program model based on queuing theory is developed with the goal of minimizing congestion in the charging system. In the results section, a case study of Cardiff’s urban centre, with a street network obtained from Open Street Map [1] is used to demonstrate the model’s application of creating an assignment of apartment blocks to charging stations with the goal of minimizing the congestion of the charging stations in the urban area.