Dynamically Optimizing the Allocation of e-cars to Charging Sites

E‐mobility is a readily available approach to avoid CO₂ emissions in the transport sector. However, e‐mobility does not reduce CO₂ emissions unless renewable energy is primarily used. Technically, matching demand with availability of renewable energy matters also for e‐car charging. Yet, due to the fact, that electric vehicles require longer and more frequent charging improving the user experience with e‐charging is in addition important.

Balancing the interests of all stakeholders involved requires multi‐objective optimization, that jointly considers driver needs, charging points and operators, providers of renewable energy and limitations of the energy distribution to charging sites.

Finding global optima is in practice not always efficient, particularly not in dynamic situations when the optimum is unsteady and thus, no optimal allocation recommendation can be calculated. In the project “anytime” optimization is used. This approach in the first run finds a quick solution and uses then the time until the arrival of an electric car to a charging site to check for better solutions. Existing algorithms for anytime multi‐objective optimization can handle two objectives at a time only. Algorithms and approaches to extend this are a core research task of the project.

To evaluate the user experience and utility of allocation recommendations, specific user interfaces will be developed that include scaffolds to provide explanations on request to make it more likely that human drivers will accept and follow the suggestions. Driver behavior will be evaluated, user profiles created, and effectiveness assessed using extensive simulation studies.

The validation and evaluation of the overall approach, in particular with regard to the utilization of renewable energy for e‐charging, will be done both through automated simulation runs including probability distributions for certain parameters as well as simulations including humans in the loop providing direct feedback.

The expected results will lead to an improved electric car user experience in respect to longer trips and improved utilization of renewable energy, stable electricity distribution and, overall, a more environment-friendly e‐mobility in practice.

**This project is funded in the KLIEN Zero Emission Mobility 3^rd Call, managed by the FFG under project  #885026.
https://www.klimafonds.gv.at/call/zero-emission-mobility-2021/
https://projekte.ffg.at/projekt/4031006