Site Suitability Analysis for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Using a GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Model: A Case Study of Islamabad

Electric vehicles (EVs) are attracting choice and adoption as a travel mode in global transportation systems, driven by technological innovation, economic considerations, and advancing sustainable urban development. The planning, development, design, and location of EV charging stations are challenging tasks for underdeveloped countries such as Pakistan. To propose the site location for an EV charging station, this study comprises Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis and Geographic Information Systems. The study adopts a mixed-methods design, combining qualitative expert input with quantitative spatial analysis to investigate technical, social, and infrastructural criteria. The study considers indicators, including site suitability, population density, interaction between land use and transport, road network, transportation interactions, existing electricity grid infrastructure, and existing fueling and charging stations. This research presents pairwise expert comparisons, indicating that grid capacity (0.28) and demand (0.30) are important factors to consider. A composite suitability Index (CSI) through GIS-weighted overlay was used to classify the area into low, medium, and high suitability zones. According to the CSI, 26% of the area falls in highly suitable areas for EV infrastructure in Islamabad, and 41% falls in medium-to-high suitable areas. The remaining 33% area lies in low-suitability peripheral zones near the hilly region of Islamabad city, which is not considered suitable for EV infrastructure. A total of 67% of the city’s area is suitable for EV infrastructure.