Planning dynamic wireless charging infrastructure for battery electric bus systems with the joint optimization of charging scheduling

To address the battery-related shortcomings of battery electric buses (BEBs), dynamic wireless charging (DWC) technology that allows BEBs to charge while in motion has emerged, thereby extending the driving range and reducing the size of onboard batteries. The introduction of DWC technology raises a critical problem, namely, the deployment of DWC facilities. To resolve the infrastructure planning problem, this study first proposes a (higher-level) strategic planning model that optimizes the deployment of DWC facilities and battery capacity of BEBs, and then establishes a (lower-level) tactical planning model of optimal charging scheduling under the time-of-use (TOU) tariff mechanism considering the interdependence between infrastructure design and charging activities of BEBs. Mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) is proposed to optimize the model, aiming to minimize the overall cost associated with charging facilities, batteries, and charging. The proposed optimization model is tested and evaluated using a real-world bus system network, and the results demonstrate that the model effectively determines the DWC facility locations and battery sizes and optimizes the charging scheduling considering the TOU tariff for BEBs. The proposed model in this study provides a comprehensive guideline for relevant practitioners and further promotes the application of DWC technology in BEBs.