A bi-level optimization framework for charging station design problem considering heterogeneous charging modes

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to optimize the design of charging station deployed at the terminal station for electric transit, with explicit consideration of heterogenous charging modes. Design/methodology/approach - The authors proposed a bi-level model to optimize the decision-making at both tactical and operational levels simultaneously. Specifically, at the operational level (i.e. lower level), the service schedule and recharging plan of electric buses are optimized under specific design of charging station. The objective of lower-level model is to minimize total daily operational cost. This model is solved by a tailored column generation-based heuristic algorithm. At the tactical level (i.e. upper level), the design of charging station is optimized based upon the results obtained at the lower level. A tabu search algorithm is proposed subsequently to solve the upper-level model. Findings - This study conducted numerical cases to validate the applicability of the proposed model. Some managerial insights stemmed from numerical case studies are revealed and discussed, which can help transit agencies design charging station scientifically. Originality/value - The joint consideration of heterogeneous charging modes in charging station would further lower the operational cost of electric transit and speed up the market penetration of battery electric buses.