Automated management of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in high-demand conditions

1 . An automated method for managing a charging infrastructure, the method comprising:

determining, with a processor, a set of charging stations to be impacted by a traffic event predicted to cause congestion;

identifying, with the processor, a plurality of electric vehicles that need charging in a geographic area of the traffic event during the traffic event;

for each charging station of the set of charging stations, estimating, with the processor, a respective charging demand during the traffic event;

selecting, with the processor and based on the estimated respective charging demand during the traffic event, a respective first mitigating policy for a respective charging station of the set of charging stations, a respective second mitigating policy for a respective electric vehicle of the plurality of electric vehicles, and a respective third mitigating policy for a respective power-grid system to which the respective charging station is connected, wherein the respective first, second, and third mitigating policies are selected using a common policy-administration operation executed in response to the traffic event, the respective first, second, and third mitigating policies being directed at managing the charging infrastructure for the estimated charging demand;

communicating the respective first mitigating policy, via an input/output interface connected to the processor, to cause an electronic station controller to initiate one or more first responsive actions at the respective charging station;

communicating the respective second mitigating policy, via the input/output interface connected to the processor, to cause an electronic vehicle controller to initiate one or more second responsive actions at the respective electric vehicle; and

communicating the respective third mitigating policy, via the input/output interface connected to the processor, to cause an electronic grid controller to initiate one or more third responsive actions at the respective power-grid system.

2 . The automated method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises filtering, with the processor, traffic-event related information received through the input/output interface.

3 . The automated method of claim 2 , wherein the determining further comprises collecting the traffic-event related information from one or more information sources selected from the group of information sources consisting of: historical traffic data; real-time traffic data; information about weather events capable of impacting traffic in a geographic area of the traffic event, and information about anticipatable or predictable high traffic events.

4 . The automated method of claim 1 , further comprising:

matching, with the processor, each electric vehicle of the plurality of electric vehicles with a corresponding charging station of the set of charging stations for charging thereat, the matching being performed to accommodate charging needs of individual electric vehicles of the plurality of electric vehicles; and

communicating results of the matching, via the input/output interface, to the individual electric vehicles.

5 . The automated method of claim 4 , wherein the identifying comprises receiving geolocation information, via the input/output interface, from a vehicle navigation system.

6 . The automated method of claim 4 ,

wherein the identifying comprises retrieving vehicle information of the individual electric vehicles, via the input/output interface, from a database; and

wherein the matching is performed using powertrain information of the individual electric vehicles.

7 . The automated method of claim 4 , wherein the matching is performed using:

driver information corresponding to the individual electric vehicles; and

route information corresponding to the individual electric vehicles.

8 . The automated method of claim 4 , wherein the matching includes estimating times of arrival of the individual electric vehicles to different ones of the set of charging stations.

9 . The automated method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first responsive actions is/are selected from the group of actions consisting of:

preparing charging equipment to meet the respective charging demand;

preparing cooling equipment to deliver to the charging equipment a cooling capacity corresponding to the respective charging demand;

charging stationary storage batteries for mitigating estimated power-demand spikes corresponding to the respective charging demand; and

charging an inventory of swappable battery packs to meet estimated battery-swap demand corresponding to the respective charging demand.

10 . The automated method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more second responsive actions is/are selected from the group of actions consisting of:

enacting an extended range mode;

shutting down one or more nonessential units, circuits, devices, and accessories;

changing a vehicle regeneration setpoint;

changing a vehicle ride height;

thermally preconditioning a vehicle battery;

indicating trip infeasibility; and

suggesting a different route.

11 . The automated method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more third responsive actions is/are selected from the group of actions consisting of:

preparing the power-grid system for the estimated charging demand;

reallocating a portion of a present power load to charging stationary storage batteries at the respective charging station; and

increasing generator output to a level sufficient for the estimated demand in the geographic area.

12 . The automated method of claim 1 , wherein the common policy-administration operation is configured to deploy mitigating policies to electric vehicles, charging stations, and power grid systems in response to the traffic event.

13 . A system for managing a charging infrastructure, the system comprising:

a hardware processor; and

memory including program code;

wherein the hardware processor is configured, through execution of the program code to:

determine a set of charging stations to be impacted by a traffic event predicted to cause congestion;

identify a plurality of electric vehicles that need charging in a geographic area of the traffic event during the traffic event;

for each charging station of the set of charging stations, estimate a respective charging demand during the traffic event;

select, based on the estimated respective charging demand during the traffic event, a respective first mitigating policy for a respective charging station of the set of charging stations, a respective second mitigating policy for a respective electric vehicle of the plurality of electric vehicles, and a respective third mitigating policy for a respective power-grid system to which the respective charging station is connected, wherein the respective first, second, and third mitigating policies are selected using a common policy-administration operation executed in response to the traffic event, the respective first, second, and third mitigating policies being directed at managing the charging infrastructure for the estimated charging demand;

communicate the respective first mitigating policy, via an input/output interface connected to the hardware processor, to cause an electronic controller to initiate one or more first responsive actions at the respective charging station;

communicate the respective second mitigating policy, via the input/output interface connected to the hardware processor, to cause an electronic vehicle controller to initiate one or more second responsive actions at the respective electric vehicle; and

communicate the respective third mitigating policy, via the input/output interface connected to the hardware processor, to cause an electronic grid controller to initiate one or more third responsive actions at the respective power-grid system.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured, through execution of the program code, to filter traffic-event related information received through the input/output interface.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured, through execution of the program code, to collect the traffic-event related information from one or more information sources selected from the group of information sources consisting of: historical traffic data; real-time traffic data; information about weather events capable of impacting traffic in a geographic area of the traffic event, and information about anticipatable or predictable high traffic events.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured, through execution of the program code, to:

perform matching of each electric vehicle of the plurality of electric vehicles with a corresponding charging station of the set of charging stations for charging thereat, the matching being performed to accommodate charging needs of individual electric vehicles of the plurality of electric vehicles; and

communicate results of the matching, via the input/output interface, to the individual electric vehicles.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured, through execution of the program code, to:

receive geolocation information, via the input/output interface, from a vehicle navigation system; and

retrieve vehicle information of the individual electric vehicles, via the input/output interface, from a database.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the matching is performed using one or more of the following:

driver information corresponding to the individual electric vehicles;

route information corresponding to the individual electric vehicles;

iterative adjustment of vehicle policies for the individual electric vehicles; and

iterative adjustment of the respective first mitigating policy of at least one charging station of the set of charging stations.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the matching is performed using powertrain information of the individual electric vehicles.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by an electronic processor, cause the electronic processor to perform operations comprising an automated method for managing a charging infrastructure, the method including:

determining, with a processor, a set of charging stations to be impacted by a traffic event predicted to cause congestion;

identifying, with the processor, a plurality of electric vehicles that need charging in a geographic area of the traffic event during the traffic event;

for each charging station of the set of charging stations, estimating, with the processor, a respective charging demand during the traffic event;

selecting, with the processor and based on the estimated respective charging demand during the traffic event, a respective first mitigating policy for a respective charging station of the set of charging stations, a respective second mitigating policy for a respective electric vehicle of the plurality of electric vehicles, and a respective third mitigating policy for a respective power-grid system to which the respective charging station is connected, wherein the respective first, second, and third mitigating policies are selected using a common policy-administration operation executed in response to the traffic event, the respective first, second, and third mitigating policies being directed at managing the charging infrastructure for the estimated charging demand;

communicating the respective first mitigating policy, via an input/output interface connected to the processor, to cause an electronic station controller to initiate one or more first responsive actions at the respective charging station;

communicating the respective second mitigating policy, via the input/output interface connected to the processor, to cause an electronic vehicle controller to initiate one or more second responsive actions at the respective electric vehicle; and

communicating the respective third mitigating policy, via the input/output interface connected to the processor, to cause an electronic grid controller to initiate one or more third responsive actions at the respective power-grid system.