The replacement of fossil fuel with electric vehicles (EVs) constitutes a major component of CO2 emission reduction efforts. With technological advancements in the car industry and battery technology (providing longer-range, faster-charging and more cost-competitive EVs) and the simultaneous expansion of EV supportive policies and incentives from the Governments, the number of electric passenger cars has reached more than 7 million globally. Thanks to a unique fully-renewable energy production ecosystem, relatively low electricity prices, generous EV incentives, and high costs associated with the use and ownership of fossil fuel cars, Norway is a leading nation in EV adoption, with an EV market share of about 70% of newly sold cars in 2020. However, Norway’s rapidly rising EV adoption also comes with increasing technological and societal challenges to this transition yet to face in most other countries. These include the costs and challenges of charging and electric grid capacity, charging management challenges, charging queues, evaporating road/car tax revenue streams, and increasing societal discussion on EV policies, their social (in)justice, and the lurking danger of creating more instead of less car dependence in cities. We offer two Master Thesis Topics on this theme:
Topic 1
Comparative analysis of the Norwegian electric mobility transition (e.g. with regard to mobility patterns, transport/electricity infrastructure) with electric mobility transitions elsewhere in Europe or north-America, and their implications for charging management. The thesis will involve investigation and (deeper) understanding of the societal implications, (in)justices, and challenges of accelerating the electric mobility transition.
Topic 2
Generating Norwegian EV adoption landscape for the upcoming years and optimizing charging management
Based on real data and realistic platforms, the thesis will yield a deeper understanding of individual/household needs/barriers regarding mobility, EV adoption, EV charging and electricity use/prosumption generally, and the implications of this for EV charging management. These requirements will be integrated with the projection of the EV adoption rate in order to design algorithms for optimal charging management, and also to provide specific scientific insights and guidelines for charging intrastructure development in Norway.
Qualifications:
Knowledge on relevant areas such as energy systems/energy informatics, electric mobility, and some background on sustainability transitions and mobility/energy justice will be advantageous.
After completing the thesis, you are expected to have learnt about
Electric mobility, charging infrastructure, optimisation and socially inclusive energy transitions