Optimization Strategies for Plugged-in Hybrid EVs: Addressing Challenges, Load Forecasting, and Smart Charging Plans

In this paper, some problems of electric vehicles (EVs) are simultaneously and comprehensively examined and solved. In the first step, after introducing EV technology as the future step for the transportation industry and discussing its challenges for the electricity industry, the vehicle to grid (V2G) is explained. Then, their advantages and requirements are discussed. In the second step, a novel method based on probabilistic techniques is proposed for forecasting the charge load curve of EVs in the electricity distribution grids. The stochastic distribution function parameters used in this method are estimated through processing the information obtained from the owners of the conventional EVs. To confirm the robustness of the proposed method, it is implemented on a small statistical population. In the third step, the time and level of battery charging are controlled by stochastic planning of the charging the hybrid EV (HEV) in the parking and via considering variable electricity prices. This stochastic planning aims to minimize the costs of charging EVs from the viewpoint of their owners. Moreover, EV parking can discharge the EVs’ batteries in high-price time intervals to meet a part of the grid’s demand. Results show that the costs and consumed load peak are considerably reduced due to the similarity between the load curve and the variable electricity market prices.