Siting of electric vehicle charging stations method addressing area potential and increasing their accessibility

The intensive growth of cities and transport systems makes its specific problems, the most serious of them include pollution and noise caused by individual transport in urban areas. The transition towards green solutions makes it possible to reduce the negative effects of conventional internal combustion engines used in vehicles. A considerable limitation experienced while attempting to introduce electric vehicles into cities is the network of charging stations. The article proposes a charging station siting method which takes into account distances between charging stations for location charging stations out appropriately within a particular urban area using a GIS-based approach. The results of the method can be verified and changed, depending on the chosen scenario, assuming different numbers of charging stations, by analysing the aspect of pedestrian accessibility within the given area. It also refers to a specific example of the method application in the city of Katowice in Poland. To compare the scenarios, the accessibility of charging stations was analysed using pedestrian access isochrones. The results obtained for the five-minute isochrone show that an increase in the number of stations from 33 to 99 makes it possible to increase the coverage area by nearly 199%. The results thus obtained confirm the efficiency of the method in question when used for planning the distribution of vehicle charging stations. What this method enables is adapting the iterative process of charging station siting to the city budget, which is an important additional element.

Automated summary

The rapid growth of cities and transport systems has led to specific problems, particularly pollution and noise caused by individual transport in urban areas. Transitioning towards green solutions can help alleviate the negative effects of traditional combustion engines. However, the lack of charging stations poses a considerable limitation to the adoption of electric vehicles in cities. This article proposes a GIS-based method for siting charging stations in urban areas, considering their distances and pedestrian accessibility. The results, demonstrated through a case study in Katowice, Poland, show that increasing the number of stations significantly expands the coverage area, confirming the effectiveness of the method for planning charging station distribution. Moreover, the method allows for adaptation to the city budget, which is an important factor.