Cost-Effective Electrification of City BRT Systems: Optimizing Battery and Charging Infrastructure for Sustainable Urban Mobility

Abstract

Electrifying public transportation not only improves air quality but also reduces noise pollution and related socio-economic costs in urban areas. This paper presents a novel cost-oriented optimization analysis for electrifying a city bus rapid transit (BRT) system, a unique type of public transport. The study investigates the optimal combination of battery energy and charging infrastructure for an electric bus (E-Bus) to minimize the total cost of ownership (TCO) using a genetic algorithm-based optimization. Additionally, the study examines the feasibility of various charging options, including a depot, wireless, pantograph (flash), and intermediate stop charging for the given BRT system. The simulation and optimization work resulted in the following findings, aimed at minimum TCO: a combination of 598kWh battery energy, four chargers, each with 212 kW, and depot charging. The depot charging scenario presented 35.7% lower costs than the opportunity charging. The novel contribution of this research lies in its detailed analysis of the unique challenges and opportunities in electrifying a high-traffic bus rapid transit line, offering valuable insights for sustainable urban mobility. The unique contributions include the innovative aspects of the optimization approach and the significance of the findings, such as the TCO reduction possibility.