EDV Charging Planning for Route-Aware Delivery Scheduling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Charging electric delivery vehicles (EDVs) during deliveries poses challenges due to time constraints, as charging can take 20-30 minutes, impacting delivery efficiency and service quality, especially for food and taxi services.

Innovation Solution

A system that determines an optimized charging plan for EDVs considering delivery routes, charging station locations, battery state, and available energy, allowing for depot, mandatory, and opportunity charging to ensure timely and efficient deliveries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the EDV charges the battery when it starts to be empty, then the battery charge level is maintained, but the delivery time is extended due to charging taking 20-30 minutes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery charge levelVSAvoiddelivery time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs charging in advance before the battery becomes empty, rather than waiting until the battery is depleted. The charging plan is determined by predicting future battery consumption based on the delivery route, causing charging to occur proactively during intervals between deliveries, thus avoiding delays in delivery operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the battery's state of charge and compares it against predicted consumption rates for upcoming deliveries. This feedback mechanism allows the system to dynamically adjust the charging plan, determining when and where to charge based on real-time battery status and scheduled delivery requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the EDV charges the battery during delivery tasks, then the battery charge level is maintained, but the delivery service quality deteriorates due to extended charging time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery charge levelVSAvoiddelivery service quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system schedules charging to occur during idle intervals between delivery tasks rather than during active deliveries. By performing charging preliminarily during non-delivery periods, the system maintains battery charge levels without interrupting delivery service or compromising food quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The charging process is segmented into discrete charging stops at different charging stations along the delivery route or at depots between deliveries. This segmentation allows the vehicle to charge in distributed intervals rather than requiring a single long charging session, thereby maintaining delivery schedules while ensuring adequate battery charge

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4222454B1Determining charging of electric delivery vehicles
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 LIIKENNEVIRTA OY VIRTA LTD
  • EP4222454B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4222454B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4222454B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Various example embodiments generally relate to charging electric devices (200). There is determined a charging of an electronic delivery vehicle, EDV, (105) configured to deliver a delivery. A delivery route (102) of the delivery configured for the EDV is received. A delivery rule of the delivery is also received. A battery state of the EDV may also be received. Data information of available energy at charging stations may additionally be received. Based on the delivery route, the delivery rule, the battery state and the data information of the available energy, a plan (111) is processed as to when and where to charge the EDV for the delivery. This solution may enable the delivery to be delivered in an optimal way with respect to the electric vehicle, what is being delivered and with respect to the available energy at the charging station. Apparatuses (200), methods, and computer programs are disclosed.