A Design Approach to Minimize Waiting Time in Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Placed in Indoor Parking Lots

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative in transportation. However, a fundamental challenge hindering the widespread adoption of EVs is the lack of adequate and accessible charging infrastructure. Therefore, the accessibility of charging stations (CSs) is considered a crucial parameter in addressing this issue. Parking lots, by their nature, offer ideal and effective spaces to ensure this accessibility. Through the installation of CSs in parking lots, owners of EVs can conveniently charge their vehicles as part of their daily routines. This not only enhances the attractiveness of EVs but also provides an eco-friendly transportation solution. In this study, a design approach is proposed to minimize waiting times at EV CSs installed in indoor parking lots. To achieve this objective, using data from the parking lot in the city center of Gümüşhane, the number of charging units required for the parking lot was calculated using queueing theory. By examining parking data, scenarios were developed for different vehicle entry circumstances, considering both AC and DC charging station. The optimal numbers and types of CSs were determined for the created scenarios to provide the best waiting times. Based on these results, recommendations and insights are presented.