How electric cars and trucks can charge smarter
On Thursday May 28 Fabian Brockmann will hold a trial lecture on a prescribed topic and defend his thesis for the PhD degree at NHH.
Title of the thesis:
«Flexible Charging of Electric Vehicles in Private Passenger and Freight Transportation»
Summary:
Road transportation is undergoing rapid electrification, but a successful transition depends on more than replacing gasoline and diesel vehicles with electric ones. Charging must fit into daily routines, transportation operations, and electricity systems. This thesis examines how flexible charging can support the electrification of two important parts of road transportation: private passenger cars and freight transportation by truck.
For private passenger cars, the thesis studies how households in Norway can reduce charging costs by shifting charging to periods with lower electricity prices. Such flexibility can be particularly valuable when electricity prices are high or change substantially over time. However, individual cost savings may also create new challenges. If many users respond to the same price signals, charging may become concentrated in the same hours, increasing pressure on local electricity grids. The thesis therefore considers both the benefits for individual vehicle owners and the broader consequences for the power system.
For freight transportation, charging creates different challenges. Electric trucks must meet delivery commitments, remain available for operation, and comply with rules on drivers’ working hours and rest periods. Poorly planned charging can therefore lead to delays and reduced operational performance. The thesis investigates how charging can be coordinated with mandatory driver breaks and with charging opportunities at depots, along highways, and at customer locations. The results show that electric trucks can become more competitive with diesel trucks when charging is treated as an integrated part of transportation planning.
Across the four studies, the thesis shows that flexibility is a key condition for successful electrification. For private users, flexible charging can reduce costs but must be managed to avoid new grid problems. For freight operators, flexibility in planning, battery capacity, charging speed, and infrastructure access can make electric transportation more practical and reliable.
Defense:
12:15, Karl Borch Aud, NHH
Prescribed topic for the trial lecture:
TBA
Trial lecture:
10:15, Karl Borch Aud, NHH
Supervisors:
Professor Mario Guajardo (main supervisor), Department of Business and Management Science, NHH
Associate Professor, Günter Prockl, Copenhagen Business School
Members of the evaluation committee:
Assistant Professor Andreas Breivik Ormevik (leader of the comittee), Department of Business and Management Science, NHH
Professor Margaretha Gansterer, University of Klagenfurt, Austria
Associate Professor Frederik Schulte, Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands