Electric vehicle routing problem with flexible deliveries

Growing concerns about the climate change have forced governments to initiate tighter environmental regulations and tougher emission reduction targets, increasing interest on electromobility. Logistics operators started employing electric vehicles (EVs) must face new operational planning challenges. Moreover, with an ever-growing in e-commerce, parcel delivery is taking shapes by offering flexible options customers. To mitigate these issues, we introduce Electric Vehicle Routing Problem Flexible Deliveries (EVRP-FD), where customers are served using a fleet of EVs that can recharge their batteries along routes. In this problem, customer may specify different locations for time windows. Our objective serve while minimising total travelled distance minimum number vehicles. We first give mathematical model then develop hybrid Variable Neighbourhood Search coupled Tabu proposing mechanisms solve problem effectively. Then, verify performance our algorithm instances from literature. also EVRP-FD perform extensive computational study investigate trade-offs associated factors. Finally, present case Nottingham, UK provide further insights.