Modelling and optimization of freight and passenger transport fleets, considering loading constraints and route topography

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) est un acteur majeur de la recherche et de la formation dans les domaines de l’énergie, du transport et de l’environnement. De la recherche à l’industrie, l’innovation technologique est au cœur de son action, articulée autour de quatre priorités stratégiques : CLIMAT, ENVIRONNEMENT ET ÉCONOMIE CIRCULAIRE, ÉNERGIES RENOUVELABLES, MOBILITÉ DURABLE et HYDROCARBURES RESPONSABLES.

L’engagement d’IFPEN en faveur d’un mix énergétique durable se traduit par des actions visant :

• à gagner en efficacité énergétique ;
• à réduire les émissions de CO2 et de polluants ;
• à améliorer l’empreinte environnementale de l’industrie et des transports ;

tout en répondant à la demande mondiale en mobilité, en énergie et en produits pour la chimie.

Dans cet objectif, IFPEN développe des solutions permettant, d’une part, d’utiliser des sources d’énergie alternatives et, d’autre part, d’améliorer les technologies existantes liées à l’exploitation des énergies fossiles.

Modelling and optimization of freight and passenger transport fleets, considering loading constraints and route topography

Freight and passenger transport are undergoing two major transformations aimed at addressing two closely related environmental challenges: reducing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change and reducing air pollutants that are harmful to human health. In Europe and France, these joint objectives are driving the deployment of technological innovations that are accelerating the transition towards more sustainable mobility, such as vehicle electrification and the use of biofuels.

In this context, decision-support tools such as Verdir ma Flotte are being developed to support transport stakeholders in assessing and optimizing their vehicle choices and decarbonization strategies.

Objectives : The aim of this internship is to explore detailed vehicle fleet renewal modelling to improve decision-making. The objective is to develop methods for modelling and optimizing freight and passenger transport fleets by incorporating realistic operational constraints related to operating conditions, the characteristics of transport systems, and their organization.

Today, fleet modelling relies primarily on an aggregated representation based on the number of vehicles and average payload, which limits the level of detail of the analyses.

• For freight transport, this requires refining the representation at the level of individual payload to explore, alongside changes in vehicle technology, other constraints such as modal shift and load-factor optimization.
• For passenger transport, the approach consists of starting from modelling a city's public transport offer and then moving down to the level of individual bus lines to establish a more detailed link between demand, translated into vehicle/frequency requirements.

The routes themselves will be analyzed to take topography into account, thereby improving the representation of actual usage patterns and operational constraints.

The work will therefore consist of enhancing existing tools for simulating and comparing decarbonization scenarios by developing new models, testing them, and analyzing their sensitivity with respect to fleet decarbonization.

Profile :

Master's student (M2) or final-year engineering student

• Knowledge of modelling and data analysis
• Programming skills (Python or equivalent)
• Knowledge of vehicle modelling (powertrains, propulsion systems, electrification) is a plus
• Interest in development and research

Keywords : Modelling, Optimization, Simulation, Mobility, Decarbonization, Electrification, Biofuels
Duration: 6 months, 
Period: starting from February 2027
Location: IFPEN – Solaize
Paid internship

Supervisors : Pierre MICHEL (Solaize), Breno MENDES ALVES & Alexandre CHASSE, Research Engineers at IFPEN Rueil

Application : Please send your CV and cover letter.