Sofia Borgosano

The decarbonization of urban public transport requires robust tools to evaluate the operational feasibility and energy implications of bus electrification. This study presents a physics-based modeling framework for estimating the energy consumption of urban bus operations using real-world telemetry data. GPS measurements collected onboard operating buses are used to reconstruct vehicle speed profiles and driving dynamics. The methodology is applied to a representative urban bus route operating in the city centre of Milan, characterized by dense traffic, closely spaced stops, and a high density of signalized intersections. Two operational improvement scenarios are investigated: traffic signal coordination through a “green wave” strategy and the integration of opportunity flash charging (OC) at selected stops. The results show that reducing traffic-related stops improves commercial speed and decreases energy demand, while OC can support battery operation within the constraints of urban service conditions. The proposed framework provides a transferable decision-support methodology for transit agencies planning the electrification of urban bus services and the deployment of supporting infrastructure.

Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) for electric vehicles is transitioning from laboratory prototypes to deployable charging infrastructure, driven by the demand for safer, automated, and weather-robust charging in residential parking, depots, and public bays, and more recently by pilot electric-road concepts. This review focuses on near-field resonant inductive WPT and explicitly frames the discussion around standardization and deployment readiness, with SAE J2954 and related international frameworks as reference points for interoperability, alignment, conformance testing, and certification planning across static, quasi-dynamic, and dynamic solutions. Recent surveys and representative demonstrators are synthesized to consolidate dominant research and engineering themes, including magnetic coupler and shielding design, compensation-network and control co-design, segment architecture and handover strategies for dynamic tracks, safety functions, electromagnetic exposure verification, electromagnetic compatibility constraints, bidirectional operation, and data-driven methods supporting design and field adaptation. For light-duty static charging, interoperable pad families, alignment procedures, and mature compensation topologies enable repeatable high-efficiency operation and increasingly standardized validation workflows, supporting early commercial availability. Heavy-duty depot charging appears technically attractive where duty cycles favor opportunity charging and packaging constraints are manageable. Dynamic WPT has reached pilot readiness via segmented selective-energization tracks and coordinated localization and handover, but corridor-scale rollout remains limited by maintainability, seasonal reliability, cost per kilometer, and route and site-specific verification of safety, exposure, and EMC margins.

The rapid growth of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) is increasing the pressure on conventional charging infrastructures, highlighting the need for fast, scalable, and grid compatible energy replenishment solutions. Among the emerging alternatives, Battery Swapping Stations (BSSs) have re-emerged as a promising complement to plug-in charging, enabling near instantaneous restoration of vehicle range while decoupling battery charging from vehicle operation. This paper provides a comprehensive review of BSS technologies, focusing on their system architectures, operational strategies, swapping modes, and associated business models. Beyond their role in electric mobility, BSSs are examined as grid interactive energy assets, capable of centralized battery management, flexible charging control, and bidirectional power exchange with the electricity system. The review analyzes Grid to Battery (G2B), Battery to Grid (B2G), and Battery to Battery (B2B) operating modes, highlighting the potential of BSSs to provide energy storage, peakload mitigation, and ancillary services, as well as to support the integration of renewable energy sources. The discussion is extended to economic and regulatory aspects, including battery as a service schemes, market participation, and large scale deployment challenges such as demand uncertainty, battery standardization, and infrastructure investment. Overall, this review positions Battery Swapping Stations not only as enabling infrastructures for high utilization electric mobility applications, but also as flexible components of future power and energy systems.

This paper presents an enhanced computational framework for estimating the energy consumption of Electric School Buses (ESBs) operating under Canadian climatic and traffic conditions. Building on previous modeling efforts, the proposed approach integrates real-world traffic data, auxiliary load scenarios, and a physics-based energy consumption model to quantify the impact of operational variables on State-of-Charge (SOC) depletion. To address gaps in prior studies, the model incorporates a multi-scenario sensitivity analysis, a clear discussion of methodological assumptions, and a comparative validation using published telemetry-based energy benchmarks from similar electric bus platforms. A case study in Ottawa’s Altavista neighborhood demonstrates the applicability of the framework, evaluating the Lion C ESB across urban and extra-urban segments. Results show that auxiliary loads are a primary driver of consumption in low-speed conditions, increasing total SOC depletion by over 36% between mild and winter like scenarios. The study highlights implications for fleet operations, HVAC investment decisions, and route planning, providing actionable insights for school districts deploying electric fleets. Limitations and directions for future model extensions such as multi-bus routing and stochastic weather conditions are also explicitly discussed.

The use of vehicles for operational and logistical purposes remains a cornerstone of modern business activities. With the growing push toward sustainability and the decarbonization of transport, the transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to Electric Vehicles (EVs) presents both significant opportunities and complex challenges for corporate fleets. This study investigates the electrification of company-owned fleets through a comprehensive survey of 20 Italian companies in the mobility and logistics sectors, combined with an optimization model applied to simulated fleets of 10, 25, and 40 vehicles, representing Small, Medium, and Big Enterprises. The survey captures real-world constraints, strategic priorities, and decision-making drivers for EV adoption, while the model incorporates renewable energy sources and battery storage systems to propose optimized charging strategies. Results show that under optimal summer conditions (June 2023), charging costs can be reduced by up to 8% and CO$_{2}$ emissions by up to 17%. A medium enterprise fleet achieved a cost reduction from € 37.51 to € 34.40 and emission savings from 70.59 to 61.30 kgCO$_{2}$ eq. These findings underscore the value of integrating smart charging strategies and clean energy sources, offering a scalable, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible framework for fleet electrification.

Presents corrections to the paper, Corrections to “Electrifying Urban Transportation: A Comparative Study of Battery Swap Stations and Charging Infrastructure for Taxis in Chicago”.

In recent years, the Electric Vehicles (EVs) industry has experienced rapid growth, driven by advancements in battery technology, environmental awareness, and government incentives. However, traditional charging infrastructure’s limited availability and long charging times pose significant challenges, especially for long-distance travel and public service vehicles like taxis, buses, and law enforcement vehicles. This work explores the innovative concept of Battery Swap Stations (BSSs), an emerging technology poised to transform the EV charging landscape. It specifically focuses on electric taxis operating in Chicago’s urban environment, highlighting the substantial benefits this technology can offer. BSSs demonstrated to dramatically reduce charging times, improving taxi service efficiency and increasing revenue potential. Instead, conductive charging impacts the working time of taxis across all case studies (as observed in the Level 2 charger scenario) While BSS technology has its drawbacks, such as optimal location challenges and battery management complexities, it has the potential to significantly enhance service quality. Additionally, these stations hold the promise of not only increasing urban transportation system efficiency but also contributing to their sustainability.