This study presents a novel predictive framework for estimating electric vehicle (EV) charging demand in smart cities, contributing to the advancement of data-driven infrastructure planning through behavioural and spatial data analysis. Motivated by the accelerating regional demand accompanying EV adoption, this work introduces HCB-Net: a hybrid deep learning model that combines Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for spatial feature extraction with Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) for robust regression. The framework is trained on user-level survey data from two demographically distinct UK regions, the West Midlands and the North East, incorporating user demographics, commute distance, charging frequency, and home/public charging preferences. HCB-Net achieved superior predictive performance, with a Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 0.1490 and an $R^2$ score of 0.3996. Compared to the best-performing traditional model (Linear Regression, $R^2=0.3520$), HCB-Net improved predictive accuracy by 13.5% in terms of $R^2$, and outperformed other deep learning models such as LSTM ($R^2=-0.3756$) and GRU ($R^2=-0.6276$), which failed to capture spatial patterns effectively. The hybrid model also reduced RMSE by approximately 23% compared to the standalone CNN (RMSE = 0.1666). While the moderate $R^2$ indicates scope for further refinement, these results demonstrate that meaningful and interpretable demand forecasts can be generated from survey-based behavioural data, even in the absence of high-resolution temporal inputs. The model contributes a lightweight and scalable forecasting tool suitable for early-stage smart city planning in contexts where telemetry data are limited, thereby advancing the practical capabilities of EV infrastructure forecasting.

Switched model predictive control (S-MPC) and recurrent neural networks with long short-term memory (RNN-LSTM) are powerful control methods that have been extensively studied for the energy management of microgrids (MGs). These methods ease constraint satisfaction, computational demands, adaptability, and comprehensibility, but typically one method is chosen over the other. The S-MPC method dynamically selects optimal models and control strategies based on the system’s operating mode and performance objectives. On the other hand, integration of auto-regressive (AR) control with these powerful control methods improves the prediction accuracy and the adaptability of the system conditions. This paper compares the two control approaches and proposes a novel algorithm called switched auto-regressive neural control (S-ANC) that combines their respective strengths. Using a control formulation equivalent to S-MPC and the same controller model for learning, the results indicate that pure RNN-LSTM cannot provide constraint satisfaction. The novel S-ANC algorithm can satisfy constraints and deliver comparable performance to MPC, while enabling continuous learning. The results indicate that S-MPC optimization increases power flows within the MG, resulting in efficient utilization of energy resources. By merging the AR and LSTM, the model’s computational time decreased by nearly 47.2%. In addition, this study evaluated our predictive model’s accuracy: (i) the R-squared error was 0.951, indicating a strong predictive ability, and (ii) mean absolute error (MAE) and mean square error (MSE) values of 0.571 indicate accurate predictions, with minimal deviations from the actual values.

This study presents a novel cyber-resilient, data-driven optimisation framework for real-time energy management in electric vehicle (EV)-integrated smart grids. The proposed framework integrates a hybrid optimisation engine—combining genetic algorithms and reinforcement learning—with a real-time analytics module to enable adaptive scheduling under uncertainty. It accounts for dynamic electricity pricing, EV mobility patterns, and grid load fluctuations, dynamically reallocating charging demand in response to evolving grid conditions. Unlike existing GA/RL schedulers, this framework uniquely integrates adaptive optimisation with resilient forecasting under incomplete data and lightweight blockchain-inspired cyber-defence, thereby addressing efficiency, accuracy, and security simultaneously. To ensure secure and trustworthy EV–grid communication, a lightweight blockchain-inspired protocol is incorporated, supported by an intrusion detection system (IDS) for cyber-attack mitigation. Empirical evaluation using European smart grid datasets demonstrates a daily peak demand reduction of 9.6% (from 33 kWh to 29.8 kWh), with a 27% decrease in energy delivered at the original peak hour and a redistribution of demand that increases delivery at 19:00 h by nearly 25%. Station utilisation became more balanced, with weekly peak normalised utilisation falling from 1.0 to 0.7. The forecasting module achieved a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.25 kWh and a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) below 20% even with up to 25% missing data. Among tested models, CatBoost outperformed LightGBM and XGBoost with an RMSE of 0.853 kWh and $R^2$ of 0.416. The IDS achieved 94.1% accuracy, an AUC of 0.97, and detected attacks within 50–300 ms, maintaining over 74% detection accuracy under 50% novel attack scenarios. The optimisation runtime remained below 0.4 s even at five times the nominal dataset scale. Additionally, the study outlines a conceptual extension to support location-based planning of charging infrastructure. This proposes the alignment of infrastructure roll-out with forecasted demand to enhance spatial deployment efficiency. While not implemented in the current framework, this forward-looking integration highlights opportunities for synchronising infrastructure development with dynamic usage patterns. Collectively, the findings confirm that the proposed approach is technically robust, operationally feasible, and adaptable to the evolving demands of intelligent EV–smart grid systems.

The integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into smart grids (SGs) is reshaping both energy systems and mobility infrastructures. This review presents a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary synthesis of current technologies, methodologies, and challenges associated with EV–SG interaction. Unlike prior reviews that address these aspects in isolation, this work uniquely connects three critical pillars: (i) the evolution of energy storage technologies, including lithium-ion, second-life, and hybrid systems; (ii) optimisation and predictive control techniques using artificial intelligence (AI) for real-time energy management and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) coordination; and (iii) cybersecurity risks and post-quantum solutions required to safeguard increasingly decentralised and data-intensive grid environments. The novelty of this review lies in its integrated perspective, highlighting how emerging innovations, such as federated AI models, blockchain-secured V2G transactions, digital twin simulations, and quantum-safe cryptography, are converging to overcome existing limitations in scalability, resilience, and interoperability. Furthermore, we identify underexplored research gaps, such as standardisation of bidirectional communication protocols, regulatory inertia in V2G market participation, and the lack of unified privacy-preserving data architectures. By mapping current advancements and outlining a strategic research roadmap, this article provides a forward-looking foundation for the development of secure, flexible, and grid-responsive EV ecosystems. The findings support policymakers, engineers, and researchers in advancing the technical and regulatory landscape necessary to scale EV–SG integration within sustainable smart cities.

The increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) necessitates a comprehensive understanding of charging patterns and user behaviour to enable future transportation infrastructure to be planned and designed to meet user needs. This study uses machine learning to predict the costs of EV charging sessions and analyse user behaviour to support strategic planning and decision‐making. We examined data that included factors such as total energy consumption and charging duration, and compared three models: linear regression, random forest, and gradient boosting. The gradient boosting model performed the best, with a mean squared error of 0.041 and an ‐squared () of 0.91. Additionally, the analysis of user behaviour revealed peak charging times between 6:00 PM (18:00) and 9:00 PM (21:00), with the majority of sessions occurring on weekdays, particularly Wednesdays. Most users preferred charging infrastructures within a 10‐mile radius. These insights not only enhance the understanding of current EV charging behaviours but also provide valuable information for local authorities and decision‐makers in transportation planning and infrastructure development. By integrating predictive modelling and behavioural analysis, this research offers a novel and robust framework for designing EV charging networks, addressing user needs, and advancing the sustainability of urban transportation systems. This approach not only supports the efficient deployment of charging infrastructures but also introduces the concept of charging comfort by aligning infrastructure development with real user needs. Unlike traditional methods that overlook user preferences and waiting times, our model integrates behavioural analysis to improve the overall user experience. By quantifying when, where, and how users prefer to charge their vehicles, this framework supports not only infrastructure optimisation but also enhances user satisfaction, a key factor in accelerating EV adoption and reducing the environmental burden of urban mobility.