Leveraging Battery-to-Battery In-Motion Charging Technology to Support Intercity Travel for Electric Vehicles

The limited driving range, insufficient charging infrastructure, and necessary charging time are the primary factors that negatively impact intercity travel for electric vehicles (EVs). In addition to traditional fixed charging stations, we introduce battery-to-battery in-motion charging (B2BIC) to enhance the travel experience for EVs. To find the optimal charging solution in an intercity highway system where the two charging schemes coexist, we constructed an optimization model that describes this problem. For ease of using off-the-shelf solvers, the model we developed is a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model. A series of case studies using real intercity highways and actual demands are conducted to demonstrate how the introduction of B2BIC plays a role in EVs’ intercity travel. Case studies from three different characteristic days—a weekday, a weekend, and a public holiday—demonstrate that the introduction of B2BIC services provides substantial savings in travel time for passengers with minimal energy loss. In addition, B2BIC exhibits varying service characteristics across these three scenarios. Finally, a series of analyses on the impact of B2BIC provision and key parameters on system performance are used to offer valuable operational insights.