Heuristic time-dependent personal scheduling problem with electric vehicles

In this paper, a heuristic method which contributes to the solution of the Daily Activity Chains Optimization problem with the use of Electric Vehicles (DACO-EV) is presented. The DACO-EV is a time-dependent activity-scheduling problem of individual travelers in urban environments. The heuristic method is comprised of a genetic algorithm that considers as its parameters a set of preferences of the travelers regarding their initial activity chains as well as parameters concerning the transportation network and the urban environment. The objective of the algorithm is to calculate the traveler's optimized activity chains within a single day as they emerge from the improved combinations of the available options for each individual traveler based on their flexibility preferences. Special emphasis is laid on the underlying speed-up techniques of the GA and the mechanisms that account for specific characteristics of EVs, such as consumption according to the EV model and international standards, charging station locations, and the types of charging plugs. From the results of this study, it is proven that the method is suitable for efficiently aiding travelers in the meaningful planning of their daily activity schedules and that the algorithm can serve as a tool for the analysis and derivation of the insights into the transportation network itself.