Master plan for fast charging infrastructure in the Stuttgart region.
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI have developed a geoinformation tool for analysing locations for fast charging stations for electric cars. The “Master plan for fast-charging infrastructure in the Stuttgart region” (“Masterplan Schnellladeinfrastuktur Region Stuttgart”) initially only presents scenarios for the German region of Stuttgart with its approximate 3,600 square kilometres.
This strategic tool can be used to adapt the reachability of possible stations, the number of charging processes or the energy requirements to various basic conditions. In the researchers’ example, 58 charging stations are needed if they are to be reached within ten minutes by car, but this number jumps to 218 if the travel time is halved.
Planning electric mobility as required
Fast charging stations with a charging capacity of about 50 kW, which make a range of 100 kilometres possible after around twenty minutes of charging, are currently available almost only on motorways. Charging takes longer with 22-kW charging stations, which are most common in public areas. The newly developed planning tool helps municipalities seek suitable locations for fast charging stations. The tool considers the charging stations already present in the region and checks their connection to the power grid and expected profitability.
The master plan is based on the microscopic agent-based travel demand model mobiTopp developed by KIT researchers. The simulation shows the mobility of all the inhabitants of the Stuttgart region with all their destinations and modes of transport, with a total of around 50 million routes travelled per week. The evaluation tool was developed on behalf of the Verband Region Stuttgart (association of local authorities within the Stuttgart Region). “The master plan is specially tailored to the Stuttgart region, but the methodology can be applied to other regions”, says Dr. Martin Kagerbauer from the Institute for Transport Studies at KIT.