Hybrid　electric　vehicles　(HEV)　have　been　recognized　as　a　viable　technology　to　significantly　improve　the　fuel　economy　of　on-road　vehicles　operated　in　urban　areas　featuring　frequent　stop-and-go　operation.　The　optimization　of　the　HEV　control　strategy　is　a　dynamic　optimal　problem　involving　a　nonlinear　cost　function　and　several　nonlinear　constraints.　To　take　advantage　of　the　global　optimality　of　dynamic　programming　(DP)　and　the　real-time　capability　of　the　equivalent　consumption　minimization　strategy　(ECMS)　in　optimizing　the　HEV　operation　strategy,　a　model　that　combines　ECMS　with　DP　is　proposed　in　this　paper,　which　is　defined　as　ECMSwDP.　Using　this　approach,　the　optimal　equivalent　factor　λ　for　ECMS　is　derived　using　DP　under　various　driving　conditions　and　the　different　grades　of　synthetic　driving　cycle.　The　fuel　economy　simulated　using　the　ECMSwDP　control　strategy　is　comparable　to　the　optimal　solution　derived　using　DP.　The　potential　of　the　real-time　control　strategy　developed　using　ECMSwDP　to　improve　fuel　economy　is　demonstrated　using　a　transit　hybrid　electric　bus　as　an　example.　©　2019　Elsevier　B.V.