Multistage electric vehicles charging station location, scheduling and pricing strategies research: a review

Electric vehicles (EVs), acknowledged worldwide as a sustainable mode of transportation, are experiencing a surge in charging demand. In response to this rise, strategies regarding the location of charging station (CS), scheduling of charging times, and pricing mechanisms have been developed. Nevertheless, the variable nature of charging demand requires these strategies to be flexible and adaptable to future conditions, complicating the optimisation process. To effectively address these complexities, scholars have engaged in multistage optimisation research. This paper reviews such research applied to EV charging, categorising it in terms of research contents and design methods. As the first systematic review in this field, it presents a structured framework for the study of multistage optimisation in EV charging. It also evaluates the practicality and feasibility of dividing the research into multiple stages, as well as the comprehensiveness and precision of the design methods utilised. Exploring multistage optimisation problems provides targeted options for strategy development. Our findings demonstrate how multistage optimisation can enhance the effectiveness of CS location, scheduling, and pricing strategies, while also highlighting potential avenues for further research in this domain.