Abstract The driving conditions encountered by vehicles during operation are complex and varied, and the ECMS (Equivalent fuel Consumption Minimization Strategy) based on minimum equivalent fuel consumption has poor adaptability to different driving conditions. To optimize the adaptability of the ECMS and improve the overall vehicle economy, this paper proposes an operating condition recognition model based on the Back Propagation neural network algorithm to optimize the ECMS energy management control strategy. Firstly, three types of driving conditions were identified: urban, suburban, and high-speed conditions. A complete vehicle model was constructed on the Matlab/Simulink platform. The efficacy of the strategy, before and after optimization, is verified under the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure) driving cycle. Simulation results show that the optimized ECMS can better adjust the power apportionment among the engine and motor, reducing the fuel consumption per hundred kilometers by 4.01% and thereby enhancing the overall vehicle economy.