Powering Smart Grids: The Case for Rigorous Modelling of Electric Vehicle Charging and Discharging Behaviour
Electric Vehicles hold transformative potential as distributed energy assets while also addressing air quality. However, uncoordinated integration into the grid risks exacerbating peak demand, destabilising distribution networks, and undermining the transition to renewable energy. Realising the full promise of electrified transport requires moving beyond aggregate load assumptions towards a rigorous, behaviourally grounded understanding of how, when, and why individuals charge and discharge their vehicles.
This talk examines the methods, challenges, and implications of modelling EV charging and discharging behaviour at the individual and fleet level. It explores how data-driven modelling frameworks can capture the complex interplay between travel demand, user preferences, energy needs, and grid conditions, providing the behavioural intelligence necessary to underpin smart charging strategies, Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) dispatch, and infrastructure planning.
The talk further highlights how disaggregate behavioural models can translate into tangible system-level benefits: reduced peak demand, lower charging costs, enhanced renewable energy integration, and improved grid resilience. EV behaviour modelling sits at the intersection of transport, energy, and data science, and this talk makes the case that understanding (dis)charging behaviour is not just academic research, it is the foundation for intelligent, sustainable energy systems.
Bio: Aruna Sivakumar is professor of consumer demand modelling and urban systems in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and director of the Urban Systems Lab, at Imperial College London. Her research sits at the intersection of transport, energy, and urban systems, with a particular focus on electric vehicle behaviour, smart charging, and activity-based travel demand modelling. She has published over 60 peer-reviewed journal papers, attracting more than 5,400 citations, and has led major research initiatives funded by EPSRC, ESRC, Innovate UK, and the EU. She has served on the Travel Behaviour and Values subcommittee of the Transportation Research Board in the United States, and the Infrastructure Operation and Traffic Management in Developing Countries committee of the World Conference on Transport Research Society. She is also affiliated with Imperial’s Grantham Institute for Climate Change.