EV Fleet Charging Assignment and Power Allocation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing electric vehicle fleets is challenging due to varying vehicle capabilities and charging infrastructure, leading to difficulties in assigning vehicles to tasks that require specific range and charging times, which is exacerbated by the longer recharging times of electric vehicles compared to internal combustion engine vehicles.
Innovation Solution
An electric vehicle fleet management system that determines the most suitable charging station for a vehicle based on its characteristics, the requirements of the task, and the capabilities of the charging stations, associating the vehicle with a charging session and allocating charging power accordingly, using a method that involves a mixed integer program and convex optimization to optimize assignments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electric vehicles are assigned to tasks requiring specific range and charging times, then task completion reliability is improved, but fleet management complexity increases due to varying vehicle capabilities and charging infrastructure availability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a fleet management system as an intermediary between electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. This system collects data from multiple sources including vehicle telematics, charging station availability, and task requirements, then processes this information to make optimized assignments. The intermediary handles the complexity of matching vehicle capabilities with charging infrastructure and task demands, shielding operators from the underlying complexity while ensuring reliable task completion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-assigning charging tasks to vehicles based on predicted charging station availability and vehicle state of charge levels. Before vehicles need charging, the system identifies suitable charging stations and schedules charging sessions in advance, ensuring vehicles are ready for subsequent tasks without causing fleet management complexity to escalate during critical moments.
2Productivity
If charging stations are strategically located to improve vehicle utilization, then productivity is improved, but infrastructure cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple charging stations into charging networks or hubs, allowing vehicles to access consolidated charging infrastructure. By merging charging resources geographically and operationally, the system achieves high vehicle utilization through strategic location selection while reducing total infrastructure cost through shared resources and optimized site selection rather than分散 charging stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system designs charging infrastructure with multi-functionality, where charging stations serve multiple purposes: vehicle charging, data collection points, fleet management communication nodes, and potential vehicle maintenance locations. This universal approach allows strategic location selection that maximizes vehicle utilization while reducing the number of dedicated charging stations needed, thereby controlling infrastructure costs.
3Duration of action of moving object
If fast recharging EVSE is made available to reduce charging time, then vehicle uptime is improved, but charging infrastructure complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing fast recharging EVSE at specific strategic locations rather than uniformly across all charging infrastructure. The system identifies high-utility locations where fast charging provides maximum vehicle uptime improvement, such as major depots or high-turnover areas, while using standard charging infrastructure elsewhere. This localized approach reduces overall infrastructure complexity and cost while achieving the goal of reduced charging time where it matters most.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts charging infrastructure deployment based on real-time fleet needs, vehicle locations, and task requirements. Rather than statically installing fast recharging EVSE everywhere, the system dynamically identifies when and where fast charging is needed, temporarily or permanently deploying fast charging capabilities to match fluctuating fleet demands, thereby reducing overall infrastructure complexity while maintaining improved vehicle uptime.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for to managing electric vehicle fleets and management of charging infrastructure to support the electrical vehicle fleets. An example method for electric vehicle fleet management includes determining that an electric vehicle is in route to a charging site including a plurality of charging stations. The method also includes assigning a charging task to the electric vehicle and assigning the electric vehicle to one of the plurality of charging stations based on one or more vehicle characteristics, one or more operation targets of the charging task, and one or more characteristics of the plurality of charging stations. The method includes, in response to determining that the electric vehicle has plugged into the assigned charging station, associating the electric vehicle with a charging session and allocating charging power to the assigned charging station.