Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

Title: Optimizing the electric vehicle charging network

Summary and Aim: UK plans to ban sales of fossil fuel-powered vehicles from 2030, meaning electric vehicles (EVs) are going to be the future transport. However, the available charging infrastructure for EVs falls far below what is needed amid surging demand. In partnership with a leading industrial partner, this project aims to grow the public charge network to the correct scale and location to meet the growing demand. As the first step, we utilize machine learning and artificial neural network techniques to model the public’s emerging charging behaviour. To develop a precise model, we also use game theory to encourage customers to share more of their data. Based on this model, we then utilize optimization techniques to provide cost-efficient network-expansion planning with optimal location and speed for EV charging stations.

Key objectives:
1- Propose suitable mechanisms for eliciting customer behaviour
2- Construct consumer behaviour model
3- Develop methods to optimize the cost-reachability tradeoff for EV charging networks

Required skills:
The successful applicant will have a strong undergraduate and/or masters degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics or a related discipline as well as excellent programming and analytical/mathematical skills. A demonstrable interest in agent systems, machine learning and probabilistic modelling is essential.