MITIGATING RANGE ANXIETY VIA SOCIAL ASSISTED VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE CHARGING

Abstract

Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) charging/discharging systems can give Electric Vehicle (EV) better range and flexibility. However, the availability of Charging Station (CS) is critical in offering electric vehicle charging services. The fast-increasing adoption of EVs brings both challenges and opportunities to the power grid. Due to the lack of charging infrastructures, the most common challenges associated with owning an electric vehicle are range anxiety, time anxiety, and discovery anxiety. V2V charging has been proposed to increase charging efficiency and availability for all EVs. This study proposes that EVs with excess energy can be used as alternate charging locations for other EVs needing a quick charge via V2V charging. A mobility model is proposed for EVs to communicate with other EVs nearby via social networking system. The model for the social networking system is created using 1-hop and 2-hop V2V communications. The social model is then compared with the traditional V2V charging model. The system’s performance is analyzed when a V2V charging system and dedicated charging stations are used along with a social networking model. The simulation results demonstrate that such a system can reduce the number of drivers who suffer from range anxiety even after implementing social privacy. The proposed model shows that increasing the number of EVs benefits both EV charge buyers and EV charge suppliers without incurring the expenditures of installing new charging stations and maintaining social privacy.