SOCIETY
AN APPROACH TOWARDS PLANNING OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE BASED ON VEHICLE AND TRANSPORT STRUCTURE
- 1 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
Abstract
Electrical vehicles are in a new phase of development and utilisation. It has been a long time before such initiatives have taken place. In the meantime the transport as a whole (vehicles, roads, traffic, etc.) has been significantly changed. As expected the main role in this process globally, and regionally is taken by the biggest economies and companies. Besides the environmental priorities, the nature of transport which does not recognise borders enforces smaller economies and countries to adopt their policies in this area, and take chances of the development. This seems to be very complex process with number of challenges. Some of them are very specific for different countries, and it is up to the local researchers to recognize and deal with them. This paper addresses the problem of the infrastructure, i.e. developing of a network of charging stations. Since there are number of specific technical aspects accompanying electric vehicles (types of vehicles, range, charging limitations, price, etc.), the research has started with analysis of the vehicle fleet, road network, and intensity of the traffic in different areas of Republic of Macedonia. This picture is compared with technical characteristics of emerging electric vehicles on the market. That was the way to recognize advantages and disadvantages of use of electric vehicles as substitution of some of the vehicles in the actual fleet. Possible development of use of electric vehicles in the country had to be estimated based on foreign experiences, and such policies in the country. As a result an approach towards development of network of charging stations in Republic of Macedonia has been defined. There is an obvious need this view to be widely presented and discussed with a possible outcome to serve as contribution to the challenges similar countries will face soon.