Coordination optimization of wireless charging and traffic efficiency in freeway Merging zones

During peak hours, freeway merging zones often experience congestion due to demand exceeding supply. This congestion is difficult to eliminate completely and can only be mitigated. Wireless charging lanes are typically installed in these zones to provide charging for electric vehicles (EVs), particularly those with low SOC. As a result, low-battery EVs tend to travel at lower speeds on wireless charging lanes, while other vehicles aim to pass through the bottleneck more quickly. We propose a Dynamic and Predictive Variable Speed Limit (DPVSL) control strategy that integrates wireless charging, variable speed limit control, and lane-changing strategies. By dynamically predicting congestion in merging zones, the DPVSL strategy adjusts speed limits and charging power in real time to balance EV charging efficiency and traffic efficiency, meeting the demands of EVs with different SOC. Experimental results show that, compared to other control strategies, the DPVSL control strategy achieves an optimal balance between traffic efficiency and charging efficiency (with a 35.43 % improvement in traffic efficiency and a 16.74 % improvement in charging efficiency). Under this strategy, low-battery EVs can receive more charge, albeit with a slight increase in travel time, while high-battery EVs experience reduced travel time but a marginal decrease in charging amount. Overall, the DPVSL control strategy shows significant advantages in optimizing both traffic and charging efficiency while flexibly addressing the needs of EVs with varying SOC.