A Novel Blockchain-Based Model for Automotive Selection of an Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Increased integration of electric vehicles (EVs) to electricity grids has led to an unprecedented competition between <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\mathbf{E V}$</tex> charging stations (CSs) to offer their best energy prices to EVs. And, the <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\mathbf{E V}$</tex> drivers select the best offer based on their own preferences. In this research, a scoring model is proposed for sorting different CSs from EV drivers' viewpoints to select the most appropriate CS for EV charging purpose. This model is developed regarding three criteria: (i) minimized electricity price, (ii) minimized waiting time to charge, and (iii) the shortest distance between EVs and CSs. Additionally, two types of CSs are available for EV drivers: fossil fuel-based and renewable energy resource (RERs)-based CSs. Also, Blockchain technology is employed for data exchange and storage, and as a result, a smart contract is established within Ethereum Blockchain platform, leading to straightforward information exchange and financial transactions between EVs and CSs