On the optimal location of public charging stations in a monocentric city

This study examines how the location of public charging stations (PCS) shapes the spatial equilibrium of a monocentric urban economy. We develop a linear urban model in which commuters endogenously choose vehicle type (conventional or electric), charging mode (public or home), and residential location. We show that the PCS location affects these choices, which in turn determine urban spatial structure, traffic-related emissions, and social welfare. We find that placing the PCS in non-ideal locations may exacerbate urban sprawl, reduce electric vehicle adoption, and lower social welfare. We derive closed-form solutions for the optimal PCS location under alternative policy objectives and quantitatively illustrate how deviations from the optimum affect equilibrium outcomes.