Multi-Criteria Design of Electric Transit Bus Based on Wireless Charging Infrastructure: A Case Study of Real Road Map in Wakefield

Abstract

In this paper, a new design strategy is developed for the Wireless Charging Electric Transit Bus (WCETB). The technology is innovative in that the battery in the bus is charged while it is moving over the charging infrastructure. In particular, an improved version of the Whale Optimization Algorithm (IWOA) is adopted for the WCETB system in the road map of Wakefield City, located in the United Kingdom. The main challenge in the WCETB is to select the power transmitter and battery size efficiently from an economical point of view. For this purpose, both factors are considered in the objective function to achieve the benefits of WCETBs from an energy perspective. Two analytical economic design optimization models are developed in this work. The first model is the real- environment model, which considers a WCETB system operating under typical traffic conditions characterized by vehicle interactions and inherent uncertainties. In this scenario, vehicle speeds vary with time, and specific traffic routes may encounter congestion. The second model concentrates on a WCETB system operating in a traffic-free environment with minimal vehicle interactions and uncertainties. The IWOA is implemented for the WCETB to operate in the real environment. Under traffic-free environment conditions, we utilize mathematical procedures and General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) software to solve the optimization problem. This approach not only allows us to comprehensively analyze the WCETB system’s behavior but also examine the interactions among different components of the objective function and constraints. Finally, a comprehensive numerical analysis under various conditions, including changes in the number of buses and increases in the length of routes, is conducted.