Quantifying the impacts of non-recurrent congestion on workplace EV charging infrastructures

The eco-friendliness of Electric Vehicles (EVs) depends significantly on the cleanliness of the electrical power used for EV-charging. As solar power generation capacity increases, workplace charging during peak solar insolation is set to increase. Smart-charging algorithms at the workplace help optimise charging schedules based on historical EV arrivals. Challenges emerge when non-recurrent congestion results in concurrent arrivals at charging stations when congestion is cleared. We couple a traffic simulator and an EV charging simulator to assess the impact of such concurrent arrivals. Using the case study of Minneapolis, we found up to 27% increase in Time-Of-Use (TOU) costs. Nevertheless, timely access to accident information shows significant cost-mitigation potential (by more than 50%). The findings lead us to policy recommendations for workplace EV charging to increase the attractiveness of commute EVs. We argue in favour of faster chargers, additional charging capacity installation, and co-optimisation with building loads to reduce the surprise costs. • Explores impacts of non-recurrent congestion on workplace EV charging. • Introduces a robust co-simulation of traffic and power systems. • Offers policy insights to boost EV adoption and trust.