Optimising fleet charging loads at depots for battery electric heavy goods vehicles

Pathiranage, Chandima Dedduwa, Cipcigan, Liana ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5015-3334, Alharbi, Fahd, Haddad, Manu ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4153-6146 and Ali, Aisha 2025. Optimising fleet charging loads at depots for battery electric heavy goods vehicles. Presented at: UPEC 2025, London, UK, 02-05 September 2025. 2025 60th International Universities Power Engineering Conference (UPEC). IEEE, 10.1109/UPEC65436.2025.11279875

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Abstract

The electrification of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) fleets presents a significant opportunity for decarbonising freight transport, yet it introduces new challenges for depot-level charging infrastructure and power systems. This paper investigates optimal charging strategies for Battery Electric Heavy Goods Vehicles (BEHGVs) at depots to minimize peak grid loads, transformer overloading, and line congestion, while ensuring vehicles meet operational schedules. Using real-world technical specifications of Scania electric trucks categorized by Gross Train Weight (GTW) and battery capacity, three operational range scenarios (baseline, extended, and long-haul) were modeled for fleet sizes of 25, 50, and 100 vehicles. A simulation framework was developed to optimize the number and rating of chargers, resulting in optimal vehicle-to-charger ratios and depot load profiles. Results demonstrate that managed charging strategies significantly reduce peak load demand compared to unmanaged charging, with a notable improvement in infrastructure utilization (achieving optimal 2.5:1 vehicle-to-charger ratio). The study concludes that strategic scheduling and charger sizing can balance grid constraints, infrastructure costs, and fleet availability, ensuring sustainable large-scale deployment of BEHGVs.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Engineering
Publisher:	IEEE
ISBN:	9798331565213
Last Modified:	08 Jan 2026 12:41
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/183567

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