Electric vehicle evacuation vulnerability assessment and behavioral insights
By Denissa Purba on 9/18/2025 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in 1611 Titan Dr., Rantoul, IL 61866
Join Denissa Purba of BOKU University as she presents via Zoom at the Fall 2025 Kent Seminar Series Thursday, September 18 from 2-3 p.m. (CT).
The Fall 2025 semester is set to feature 13 presentations, each addressing a topic related to electrification in mobility.
Pizza and soft drinks will be provided beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the ICT Classroom.
All presentations will be held on Zoom, but some speakers will present in person at ICT.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://go.illinois.edu/KentSeminar
Meeting ID: 881 1157 1273
Passcode: 462549
Abstract and Bio
Electric vehicle drivers face range anxiety, long charging times and limited public charging access, complicating planned and sudden evacuations. This seminar presents two studies. First, a multi-criteria framework quantifies vulnerability for drivers and charging networks, accounting for power outages and road closures. Second, a stated-preference survey and behavioral models test how vehicle specs and station attributes shape routing and charging choices. Results identify where systems and users are most exposed and how they respond under stress, offering practical guidance for policy, siting and operations to strengthen EV evacuation readiness.
Purba is a postdoctoral researcher at BOKU University in Vienna, Austria. She holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor’s degree from Institut Teknologi Bandung in Indonesia. Her research blends electrified transportation planning, energy infrastructure analysis and evacuation modeling to improve resilience to disasters and climate change. She advances the adoption of alternative-fuel vehicles and strengthens emergency preparedness through interdisciplinary, data-driven work, connecting engineering, policy and behavioral insights to support safer, more sustainable mobility.