An OpenStreetMaps based tool to study the energy demand and emissions impact of electrification of medium and heavy duty freight trucks

In this paper, we present a mathematical formulation of OpenStreetMaps (OSM) based tool comparing the costs and emissions of long-haul medium/heavy-duty (M&HD) electric and diesel freight trucks, and determine the spatial distribution of added energy demand due to M&HD EVs. The optimization utilizes a combination of information on routes from OSM, utility rate data, and freight volume data, to determine these values. In order to deal with the computational complexity of the problem, we formulate it as a convex optimization problem that is scalable to a large geographic area. In our analysis, we further evaluate various scenarios of utility rate design (energy charges) and EV penetration rate across geographic regions and their impact on the operating cost and emissions of the freight trucks. Our approach determines the net emissions reduction benefits of freight electrification by considering the primary energy source in different regions. Such analysis will provide insights to policy makers in designing utility rates for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) operators depending upon the geographic region and to electric utilities in deciding infrastructure upgrades based on the spatial distribution of the added energy demand EVs. To showcase the results, a case study for U.S. state of Texas is conducted.