Multi-objective planning of electric bus systems in cities with trolleybus infrastructure networks

The deployment of In-Motion-Charging (IMC) trolleybuses is considered a promising approach for efficiently increasing the share of electric public transport modes in urban centers. Indeed, in cities with existing catenary infrastructure hybrid trolleybuses that can charge in motion, yet can also operate in battery mode, can be deployed. In this context, this study investigates the design of transit route networks under the IMC concept and proposes a hybrid multi-objective Variable Neighborhood Search-based (MOVNS) algorithm for this purpose. We combine MOVNS with mixed integer programming (MIP) for determining supplementary charging station locations. A bi-level bi-objective formulation is adopted to generate non-dominated solutions for passengers and operators. Results show that cities with extensive catenary networks can establish efficient IMC transit systems with minimal investment, and even a 20% coverage suffices to maintain investment costs low.