Determining the optimal electric vehicle DC-charging infrastructure for Western Australia

Take-up rates of electric vehicles (EV) are increasing and are predicted to accelerate rapidly. Public EV charging networks will be required to support future EV fleets. If unplanned, public charging networks are highly likely to be suboptimal. Planners need to understand and plan for future EV charging infrastructure requirements, particularly public DC fast charging networks, as both the upfront investment costs and the consequences of misallocation are high. However, the task of determining the optimal locations and allocations (types and numbers) of public EV charging infrastructure is complicated as it requires knowledge of many variables. These include EV driver behaviors, driving patterns, predicting evolutionary changes in EV and EV charging technologies, future EV take-up rates, and what investment may or may not occur in the absence of government funding support.