Modeling and Assessment of Unidirectional Charging Strategies for Electric Vans in Last-Mile Parcel Delivery Operations

Uncontrolled onsite charging of Last-Mile Delivery electric Van Fleets (LMD eVF) can adversely impact local infrastructure and affect operational costs. Unidirectional Smart Charging (USC) enables electric vehicles to act as a flexibility resource allowing an efficient and cost-effective integration into the energy system. However, to enhance the adoption of this technology further analysis regarding its financial and environmental potentials is required. For this purpose, we developed a time-series-based simulation framework that allows fleet and grid operators to model charging loads and evaluate the economic and environmental potential of five different unidirectional smart charging strategies. A linear optimization model supports the charging optimization's decision logic. To demonstrate the proposed approach, we applied it to a real-life case study and analyzed in detail the performance of each strategy. The results indicate a reduction in costs of up to 23.17% and 8% in emissions, demonstrating the relevance of USC for LMD eVF.