Advanced Fleet Management and Optimisation for Electric Bus Vehicles

This project is to look at the overall emissions released from the development of an electric bus vehicle at a fleet level. Currently, emissions from an EV bus are usually measured at the tailpipe. Little consideration is given to the carbon footprint involved with developing the battery units for these vehicles, decommissioning these units after their end of life, or towards installing the infrastructure needed to support EVs. Additionally, a well-to-wheel analysis will also encompass the emissions associated with how the electricity is generated, rather than assuming it is negligible or supplied from low carbon/renewable sources.

A comparison will be drawn between the use of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (HFCVs), determining the most effective type of vehicle to be used in a particular setting (a busy city route compared with a more suburban route with longer journeys and fewer stops) on a practical level, as well as emissions level.

Ultimately, the final product will be a tool that shall simulate the overall cost and impact a particular vehicle type may have, on a fleet wide scale. This will allow consumers to factor in major investments needed to their infrastructure to accommodate a particular vehicle type, how potential route changes may affect a given bus fleet, and what type of bus would suit their service best, in real terms, before the investment is made.