Price Signals and Load Flexibility in Public Transport: A Cost Analysis of Electric Bus Charging

This paper examines how electricity pricing structures influence the cost of flexible electricity demand in Sweden. Using an electric bus fleet operating within the Skövde municipal area as a case study, three charging scenarios are evaluated across the tariff structures of seven distribution system operators (DSOs). Wholesale electricity prices generally contribute more to electricity costs than grid fees; within grid tariffs, peak-related components dominate. Modest temporal load adjustments can yield measurable end-user cost savings, while grid-optimized charging may be penalized. Significant differences in tariff structures across adjacent DSO areas suggest the potential for spatial, as well as temporal, load flexibility.