Charging strategies for electric buses based on deterministic and stochastic optimisation approaches: a Dutch case study

Abstract

The potential of different charging strategies for electricity cost reductions of electric buses is investigated while accounting for uncertain operational factors in electricity consumption such as ambient temperature, wind speed, and day of the week. A model is developed that calculates the total electricity costs for five different charging strategies by employing deterministic and stochastic optimisation approaches that are able to deal with uncertainty. The developed model is applied to a case study based on an operational area of a Dutch bus operator. The simulation results for the tested charging strategies indicate a significant potential for total electricity cost reduction up to 35% and peak power reduction up to 58% on a monthly basis, given the input data and assumptions. The analysis provides insights on various charging strategies for electric buses and potential operational cost reduction, which outweigh the high capital cost, and supports future applications.