Optimization of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: A Strategic Approach Using Clustering and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Techniques

Optimization of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: A Strategic Approach Using Clustering and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Techniques | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Optimization of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: A Strategic Approach Using Clustering and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Techniques kamala V, Arun Kalayana Raman R, Harshene R This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5615670/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The strategic placement of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCSs) plays a vital role in developing the electric vehicle (EV) industry by ensuring accessibility and efficiency. However, selecting optimal EVCS locations is a complex, uncertainty-embedded multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem involving both quantitative and qualitative factors. This study proposes a comprehensive methodology to enhance EVCS distribution by minimizing the average distance between charging stations, increasing EVCS density, and improving their integration with public facilities. The research focuses on central Chennai and its surrounding suburban areas. The methodology involves identifying existing EVCS locations, analyzing their spatial distribution, and detecting gaps in coverage. Cluster Analysis is applied to group proposed EVCS locations based on spatial proximity, with the optimal number of clusters determined using the Silhouette Score and Davies Bouldin Index. Selection criteria for EVCS placement are established using expert opinions and data collection, and their relative importance is computed using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. The Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment of Evaluations (PROMETHEE) is then used to select the most suitable EVCS locations within each cluster. The findings reveal an 11.12% reduction in the average distance between charging stations, a 55.56% increase in EVCS density, and a 22% improvement in the integration of EVCS with public facilities. This integrated approach ensures a balanced and well-distributed EVCS network, effectively addressing the current infrastructure challenges in the study area. Optimizing the Distribution of EVCS Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) Cluster Analysis DEMATEL PROMETHEE Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5615670","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":408541898,"identity":"aaedaf68-bded-4caf-9ea3-4319289009c6","order_by":0,"name":"kamala V","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA8UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACA3YIzcPYwMD4AMTgI6iFGaGF2QDEYCNWCwiwSYBJQlrMmZkPf/zZdliGuf2MWeXXHDsZNgbmh49u4NFi2cyWJs3bdpiHsSfH7LbstmSgw9iMjXPwOewwjxkzY1sa0C9ALZLbmIFaeNik8Wvh/wx0GFBL/xuzYslt9cRo4WGQ4G2z4WGckWPG+HHbYcJagH4xk+Y5B9LyrFiacdtxHjZmAn4xZ29+/PFHmYS9YX/yxo8/t1Xb87M3P3yMTwsYMALjwrCBw4CZB8RjJqQcDP4wMMgzsD9g/EGU6lEwCkbBKBhpAAC2BUB95w7tbAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2456-9002","institution":"Anna University Chennai","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"kamala","middleName":"","lastName":"V","suffix":""},{"id":408541899,"identity":"5526e435-3e49-4890-ba06-3004f5275cbb","order_by":1,"name":"Arun Kalayana Raman R","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Anna University College of Engineering Guindy","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Arun","middleName":"Kalayana Raman","lastName":"R","suffix":""},{"id":408541900,"identity":"cd2515aa-5b04-4ac1-8f21-06465b464506","order_by":2,"name":"Harshene R","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Anna University College of Engineering Guindy","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Harshene","middleName":"","lastName":"R","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-12-10 10:29:23","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5615670/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5615670/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":81452495,"identity":"2482f14f-44a1-46af-a690-b0cf95d6128b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-26 21:15:37","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1155509,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"PAPER.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5615670/v1_covered_178d5f2f-427e-4f4a-89f0-765872d818c8.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Optimization of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: A Strategic Approach Using Clustering and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Techniques","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Optimizing the Distribution of EVCS, Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), Cluster Analysis, DEMATEL, PROMETHEE","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5615670/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5615670/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe strategic placement of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCSs) plays a vital role in developing the electric vehicle (EV) industry by ensuring accessibility and efficiency. 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