CANcharge

Project Info

ACTual.ly thumbnail

Team Name

ACTual.ly

Team Members

Nandini and 2 other members with unpublished profiles.

Project Description

Problem Statement:

As part of the ACT's commitment to zero-emission vehicles, the government has set a target to expand the public charging network to 180 stations by 2025. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to strategically determine where the demand for charging infrastructure is greatest across the territory. Additionally, there is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of public EV chargers in Canberra while considering diverse user needs, charging speeds, and user behaviours.

The challenge lies in assessing the optimal distribution of charging stations to ensure convenient access for all EV owners, including those without home charging options like apartment residents, renters, and tourists. Furthermore, the varying charging speeds and types (fast vs. slow) must be considered to cater to the diverse needs of EV drivers.

While the ACT government possesses EV registration data, understanding driver habits and identifying the most suitable locations for different types of charging stations requires additional data-driven insights. The problem encompasses the following key aspects:

  1. Charging Station Distribution Strategy: Determine how to strategically distribute the 180 charging stations across the ACT to maximize accessibility, efficiency, and coverage. This involves identifying areas with high EV ownership, areas with limited home charging options, popular tourist destinations, and transportation hubs.

  2. Charger Effectiveness Evaluation: Assess the utilization and effectiveness of existing public EV chargers to ensure they align with user needs and patterns. This involves understanding user behavior, peak charging times, and charging duration to optimize charging station locations and types.

  3. Charging Speed Considerations: Design a charging infrastructure that strikes a balance between fast chargers and slow chargers. This involves understanding the trade-offs between charging speed, cost, and user convenience.

While there are any other factors such as long-term planning for continuous of EV adoption beyond 2025 and further stylise and implement data-driven decision making models to better analyse and visualize traffic patterns, demographic info and EV registration which we might require looking into, it is something we can as a team and/or the government to focus on for growth and update in the near future.

Project Description

Bringing the forefront of accessible and incentive focused electric vehicle promotion and usage for environmental and sustainability

CanCharge is an informative and interactive mobile application which seeks to promote and increase the usage of electric vehicles (EVs) amongst Australians by first taking small steps by focusing on Australian Capital Territory. It acts as the bridge between the government and the public to see the changes to the usage of EVs within the territory and bring about initiatives through user information and records provided within the application.

Enter in your destination location and plan on your trip before the battery runs out

Track and locate areas close to you and/or your destination to re-charge your EVs and allow the government to answer your queries you might have regarding the EVs

We are passionate about backing the Government’s aim of pushing EVs to the forefront especially focus on zero-emission vehicles to help our environment and therefore ourselves. We want to promote the accessibility of these EVs so we as Australians can take steps towards making the necessary changes, we require to help our environment and bio-systems.

Our Mission

At CANcharge, our mission is to pave the way for a more sustainable future by connecting electric vehicle (EV) users with the information they need to make informed choices and reduce carbon emissions. We're dedicated to providing a seamless and user-friendly platform that empowers EV owners and enthusiasts with real-time insights, valuable resources, and a community-driven approach to fostering positive environmental change.

Government Access and Analysis: Our dedication to driving change extends beyond individual users. Our app's webpage provides the government with secure access to in-depth analysis of user inputs and records. By harnessing this valuable data, the government gains insights into charging behavior, user preferences, and charging station utilization. This collaborative approach allows policymakers to make informed decisions that shape the city's charging infrastructure and align with the broader goal of achieving zero-emission transportation.

Together, we're building a bridge between technology, community, and sustainability. Join us on this exciting journey towards a cleaner, greener world, one electric charge at a time.

Goals

Our goals for the app

Create an application with a visualisation platform pinpointing all the EV charging stations

Interconnect user and government through feedback and user input functionalities

Generate a web page to map and present user input analysis and feedback answers for the government to access

#environmental act evs charging_stations towardschange

Data Story

Data Story

Data Story: Enhancing Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in the Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) envisions a future of zero-emission vehicles and has set a target to expand the public charging network to 180 stations by 2025. To achieve this ambitious goal, it is imperative to strategically allocate charging stations across the territory, ensuring optimal accessibility and usability for all electric vehicle (EV) owners. Let's dive into the data story that underlines the decision-making process and index system employed to target areas requiring more EV charging stations.

Act 1: The Challenge and Goals

Our story begins with the challenge: How can the ACT government determine the best locations to deploy additional EV charging stations to accommodate the growing number of electric vehicles on Canberra's roads? The primary goal is to create a data-driven index system that considers key factors, such as population density, transportation hubs, and charging station distribution.

Act 2: Data Gathering and Preparation

To embark on this journey, we gathered relevant datasets that form the foundation of our analysis:

  • Electric vehicle registration data

  • Geospatial data containing population density and transportation hubs

  • Existing charging station locations

These datasets serve as puzzle pieces that, when combined, paint a comprehensive picture of the current EV landscape in the ACT.

Act 3: Developing the EV Charging Infrastructure Index

In Act 3, we introduce the concept of the EV Charging Infrastructure Index (EVCI). This index serves as a guiding star, indicating areas where the demand for charging stations is most critical. To calculate EVCI, we consider two critical components:

  1. Vehicle Density Score (VDS): Calculated as the number of electric vehicles per square kilometer.

  2. Charging Station Density Score (CSDS): Calculated as the number of charging stations per square kilometer.

The EVCI is a harmonious blend of VDS and CSDS, providing a single metric that quantifies the relative need for charging stations in different areas.

Act 4: Index Visualization and Insights

Now, we unveil the results of our analysis through compelling visualizations. A heatmap overlays EVCI scores on a map of the ACT, highlighting regions with high and low EVCI values. The heatmap serves as a compass, directing attention to areas where action is most needed.

Act 5: Strategic Deployment

Armed with the insights gained from the EVCI, the ACT government can strategically deploy charging stations to areas with high EVCI scores. These areas might include bustling city centers, residential neighborhoods with limited home charging options, and transportation hubs that cater to both locals and tourists.

Datasets used
https://www.treasury.act.gov.au/snapshot/demography/act
https://actmapi-actgov.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/ACTGOV::electric-vehicles-registration-number/about
https://www.data.act.gov.au/Transport/Total-vehicles-registered-in-the-ACT/x4hp-vihn
https://www.fcai.com.au/news/publication/view/publication/210

https://www.fcai.com.au/library/publication/fcai_zlev_report_2022.pdf

https://aeva.asn.au/act-ev-statistics/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/07/number-of-electric-vehicles-on-australian-roads-soars-as-demand-exceeds-supply

https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/how-many-public-ev-chargers-are-there-in-australia

https://electricvehiclecouncil.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/State-of-EVs_July-2023_.pdf

Evidence of Work

Video

Homepage

Project Image

Team DataSets

This team does not currently have any datasets.

Challenge Entries

Charging Electric Vehicles in the ACT

The ACT’s zero-emission vehicle strategy includes several incentives to purchase EVs, as well as a plan to expand the public charging network to 180 charging stations by 2025. To build this network of charging stations, it is important that government understands where the greatest need for chargers is across the territory. How can this be measured, and how can we assess the effectiveness of public EV chargers in Canberra?

Go to Challenge | 11 teams have entered this challenge.

Measuring Emissions – Where should we start? Standardising data for tracking, monitoring, and reporting emissions

Climate change is forcing governments and regulators to enforce stringent norms for businesses to reduce emissions and address environmental risks. There is no standard framework for reporting ESG and climate related risks, leading to non-uniform data. How can this issue be addressed to help organisations better report on their emissions?

Go to Challenge | 13 teams have entered this challenge.

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