Competition Between Geographically Spread Charge Point Operators for Battery Electric Trucks—Estimations of Prices and Queues with an Agent-Based Model

In light of the drawbacks of using fossil fuel, this paper investigates the competition between geographically spread charge point operators for future battery electric long-haul trucks along one of the busiest highways in Sweden. This is achieved using an agent-based model where trucks try to charge for a low price and still avoid queues in order to complete their transport mission. The charging need for a typical day at full electrification is derived from data from the Swedish Transport Administration. This typical day is simulated several times and in between these iterations the charge point operators adjust their prices and number of chargers, aiming to increase their profit. After a sufficiently long time of competition, a quasi-equilibrium is reached where, for example, prices and queueing times can be studied. The goal of the study is to estimate conditions for trucks and charge point operators in a future public fast-charging market. Assuming a price for electricity of 0.08 EUR/kWh, the results indicate that a system with low queuing problems is attainable with a mean price of 0.27 EUR/kWh or lower for public fast charging. It is also found that the behaviour of haulage companies, as a collective, can affect the future fast charging market to a great extent. If the hauliers are price-sensitive, they will be offered a low mean price, down to 0.11 EUR/kWh, but with queues, while if they are queue-sensitive, there will be almost no queues, but they will pay more to charge.