Energy Seminar Series: Quantifying the Real-World Impacts of Vehicle Electrification: From Passenger Cars to Transit Buses – January 15, 2026

Abstract:
Electrification is transforming road transport, yet its impacts and benefits vary widely across vehicle types, use cases, and regional conditions. This talk will provide an overview of our ongoing research quantifying the environmental and operational implications of vehicle electrification across different segments. Our work spans passenger cars, delivery vehicles, and transit buses, examining the environmental, operational, and planning implications of electrification in each through a combination of data-driven modeling, optimization, and system analysis. Example studies I will introduce in this talk include regional life cycle emissions assesment for passenger cars, real-world energy consumption prediction and route planning for delivery fleets, and transition planning for clean bus networks using a multi-stage stochastic optimization model. Together, these studies demonstrate how regional operating conditions and technology pathways impact vehicle performance, fleet operations, and system-level emissions outcomes, providing actionable insights.

Biography:
Dr. Tuğçe Yüksel is an Assistant Professor in Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Sabancı University, Istanbul, Turkey. She earned her B.S. (2007) and M.S. (2010) degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Middle East Technical University, Turkey. She received her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 2015 as a Fulbright Scholar, working in the Vehicle Electrification Group and the Design Decisions Laboratory. Her research focuses on evaluating the performance, cost and environmental benefits of technology and operation conditions in vehicle electrification.