Modeling and Analysis of Wireless “Charge While Driving” Operations for Fully Electric Vehicles

Abstract This study presents a method for analysing the traffic and electric performance of wireless Charge While Driving (CWD) systems for two types of electric vehicle: a light-van for freight distribution and a city car. After performing a preliminary design of the \{CWD\} system, a simplified traffic simulation, including an energy assessment for vehicles, is presented to test the design settings, such as the travelling speed on \{CWD\} and the percentage of equipped lanes. The speed range explored refers to quite low values because the design layout of the \{EVSE\} should be a compromise between the need to minimize the installation and maintenance costs and users’ acceptance of the time required to obtain a proper recharge. The choice of the traffic modelling approach derives from the specific requirements of the \{CWD\} system defined in the eCo-FEV project, which may be assumed as having been installed along a low speed lane of a motorway. The simplified traffic model simulates the vehicles time series along the road, introducing their energy needs as an influencing factor of drivers’ behaviour. The simulated scenarios involve electric light-vans travelling along a 5-km highway that have the opportunity to charge in motion if their State of Charge (SOC) is under an established threshold.