Basic Methods to Support City Bus Fleet Conversion Towards a 100% Electric Bus Fleet

Abstract

The transition process taking place in public transport, from conventional bus fleet towards a 100% electric one, requires a scientific approach. Proper formulation and description of the fleet conversion process is a complex, multithreaded and multi-faced task, in solving which basic methods may be helpful. These include: an identification model based on statistical methods, an optimisation model based on multi-criteria optimization methodology, an interaction model based on the methods of discrete Markov chains and economic models, enabling realistic consideration of any proposed solution based on simulation methods. The article formulates requirements for basic methods, their input and output data and divide them into groups with regard to social, technological, economic, environmental and political analysis (known as STEEP analysis). These methods may contribute to a formal formulation of a fleet conversion optimisation problem. The paper also describes intermediate stages in fleet conversion process as well as three different approaches to city bus fleet conversion to achieve a fully electric city bus fleet in transit company.