PhD Studentship: AI-powered, Smart, and Sustainable E-bike Charging Nottingham Trent University in United Kingdom

[£27,043 covers living costs and tuition fees. Funding available for international students.]

This PhD studentship at Nottingham Trent University offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of AI-powered, smart, and sustainable e-bike charging stations. With the rapid growth of electric vehicles and e-bikes, efficient and eco-friendly charging solutions are increasingly important. The project aims to create an integrated system that monitors and manages EV/e-bike charging stations powered by solar energy, ensuring both operational efficiency and sustainability.

Key research areas include intelligent remote energy monitoring, where you will develop systems to track the electrical energy generated by solar panels, stored in batteries, and used for charging EVs, e-bikes, and e-scooters across multiple locations. The project also involves AI-powered fault detection and diagnostics, utilizing advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) to analyze the working status of charging stations, identify potential issues, and establish reliable communication between IoT devices, AI modules, and data repositories.

Predictive maintenance through machine learning is another core aspect, with the goal of building models that analyze historical and real-time data to predict battery degradation or failure. This enables proactive maintenance scheduling, reduces downtime, and extends battery lifespan. Additionally, you will conduct comprehensive environmental impact assessments using the Product Environment Footprint (PEF) life cycle analysis method to evaluate the sustainability of charging stations and their components.

The studentship is supported by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme and provides funding of £27,043, covering both living costs and tuition fees. Funding is available for international students. Applicants should have a strong background in electrical engineering, computer science, or environmental science, and experience with AI, machine learning, IoT, or energy systems is highly desirable. Non-native English speakers must meet the IELTS requirement of 6.5 overall, with minimum sub-scores of 6.0 in all components.

The application deadline is 31 August 2026. Interested candidates should apply online via the Nottingham Trent University postgraduate application portal, submitting a CV, academic transcripts, and a personal statement. This project offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of technology and sustainability, contributing to the future of green mobility.