CONSENT: A Negotiation Framework for Leveraging User Flexibility in Vehicle-to-Building Charging under Uncertainty

2026-01-04

arXiv.org

AI Summary

This study addresses the conflict between high energy costs for building operators and charging convenience for electric vehicle (EV) users in vehicle-to-building (V2B) scenarios. To resolve this tension, the work proposes the first incentive mechanism framework based on strategic negotiation, which encourages EV users to offer modest flexibility in either departure time or desired state of charge, thereby achieving mutual benefits. The framework innovatively integrates mechanism design theory with optimization algorithms to guarantee voluntary participation, strategy-proofness, and budget balance. An incentive-compatible negotiation protocol is developed using insights from user surveys and real-world operational data. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared to non-negotiated smart charging strategies, the proposed approach reduces operators’ electricity costs by over 3.5% and lowers users’ charging expenses by 22% relative to retail electricity rates.

Technology Category

• Multiagent Systems: Mechanism Design
• Game Theory and Economic Paradigms: Mechanism Design
• Search and Optimization: Sampling/Simulation-based Search

Application Category

• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystems
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Energy management for devices in mobile Web and WoT environments
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: User privacy protection in personalized systems

Abstract

The growth of Electric Vehicles (EVs) creates a conflict in vehicle-to-building (V2B) settings between building operators, who face high energy costs from uncoordinated charging, and drivers, who prioritize convenience and a full charge. To resolve this, we propose a negotiation-based framework that, by design, guarantees voluntary participation, strategy-proofness, and budget feasibility. It transforms EV charging into a strategic resource by offering drivers a range of incentive-backed options for modest flexibility in their departure time or requested state of charge (SoC). Our framework is calibrated with user survey data and validated using real operational data from a commercial building and an EV manufacturer. Simulations show that our negotiation protocol creates a mutually beneficial outcome: lowering the building operator's costs by over 3.5\% compared to an optimized, non-negotiating smart charging policy, while simultaneously reducing user charging expenses by 22\% below the utility's retail energy rate. By aligning operator and EV user objectives, our framework provides a strategic bridge between energy and mobility systems, transforming EV charging from a source of operational friction into a platform for collaboration and shared savings.

Problem

• Vehicle-to-Building
• Electric Vehicles
• charging coordination
• user flexibility
• energy cost

Innovation

• negotiation framework
• vehicle-to-building (V2B)
• user flexibility
• strategy-proofness
• incentive-based charging