On the Utilization of Blockchain and Smart Contracts in Charging Coordination of Roadway-Powered Electric Vehicles

Abstract

With the increasing investments in on-the-move electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions and wireless charging lanes (WCLs), coordination of the energy requirements of mobile EVs becomes essential to ensure load balancing while maximizing demand coverage. This necessitates the development of online and mobility-aware algorithms for assigning EV-to-charging lanes. In this work, a decentralized, blockchain-based EV assignment and energy allocation system is presented. The objective of system is to coordinate the charging requirements of mobile EVs among the available WCLs within a network of EV chargers in an Internet of Electric Vehicles (IoEVs). This blockchain-based system offers higher security, transparency and immutability over traditional rule-based coordination schemes. It also offers an integrated end-to-end framework that handles user registration, authentication, lane activation and energy reporting. This is in addition to its main functionality of establishing a real-time and load-balanced EV-to-WCL assignment process that addresses the EV energy requirements within constraints of traveling distance and remaining EV energy. The proposed system is tested on the Ethereum blockchain and its security and transparency are both validated accordingly. INDEX TERMSBlockchains; decentralized coordination; electric vehicles; energy management; smart contracts. NOMENCLATURE CEM Centralized energy management. CEVs Connected electric vehicles. DWC Dynamic wireless charging. EA Ethereum address. EV Electric vehicle. IOEVs Internet of electric vehicles. OSC Operations smart contract. RSC Registration smart contract. SC Smart contract. WCL Wireless charging lane.