Capacity Expansion Strategy for EV Charging Stations Considering Cellular Traffic Simulation and User Satisfaction

The spatial layout of urban electric vehicle (EV) charging stations affects both user charging experience and regional traffic flow. To meet the demand for shorter charging waiting time amid the rapid growth of EV ownership, this paper proposes a charging station expansion strategy integrating cellular traffic simulation and user satisfaction. First, the Cell Transmission Model (CTM) is used to simulate real-time traffic flow based on regional road network data, and an energy consumption model is combined to predict the spatiotemporal distribution of charging loads. Second, a bi-level optimization model is developed for station expansion: the upper layer minimizes comprehensive post-expansion cost, while the lower layer maximizes user satisfaction by optimizing vehicle admission strategies. The bi-level problem is solved iteratively by combining a heuristic algorithm with mixed-integer linear programming. A case study in an urban area of Hunan Province shows that the proposed strategy improves regional charging capacity and user satisfaction, with the average road operating speed increasing by 4.21 km/h after expansion.