Augmenting EV charging infrastructure towards transformative sustainable cities: An equity-based approach

Abstract

An increasing number of studies have reported on the need to augment public electric vehicle (EV) charging points (E-CPs) in areas with growing demand for parking. However, the focus on E-CP infrastructure equity has largely been ignored. For increased uptake of EVs, we argue that future E-CP infrastructure augmentation (EIA) will necessitate the identification of the optimal locations based on a need-focused strategic approach. Our work utilises open datasets and presents a generic multicriteria-based modelling framework for EIA framework. The E-CP Infrastructure Framework a two-stage framework. The first stage assesses the existing infrastructure gap and spatial disparity of E-CP allocation at the city scale. Next, guided by the information from stage one, stage two identifies the optimal E-CP candidate locations for future EIA expansion. The locations are determined using a parametric scoring approach that includes ease of access, available bays for parked vehicles, and potential congestion risk. We take the example of Dresden city to demonstrate the applicability of the EIA framework. Our findings show the wide prevalence of spatial disparities in E-CPs across nine of the ten wards in the city. Our proposed city-scale approach for identifying candidate locations could help policymakers decide on the augmentation strategies of E-CP infrastructure in a spatially equitable and cost-effective manner.