Economic and management evaluation of vehicle-mounted photovoltaic–battery systems in electric vehicles under urban operating conditions

The rapid electrification of transportation demands intelligent coordination among heterogeneous energy subsystems within electric vehicles. This research establishes an analytics-driven management framework that unites photovoltaic generation, high-energy–density lithium-ion storage, and auxiliary fuel-cell support to achieve a balanced, sustainable, and economically viable propulsion system. Focusing on an urban case study in Xi’an, China, the model integrates real-time meteorological inputs and vehicle-operation data to dynamically regulate energy flows between PV modules and battery packs. A hybrid optimization layer couples techno-economic modeling with management-level decision analytics, allowing simultaneous assessment of power efficiency, operational scheduling, and lifecycle cost performance. Results show that the coordinated PV–battery strategy enhances driving range up to 61% while lowering equivalent energy cost and mitigating peak-load stress on urban charging infrastructure. Beyond the technical gains, the framework demonstrates how data-enabled decision mechanisms can inform managerial planning for fleet electrification and urban energy resilience. The study provides actionable insights for policymakers and industry practitioners seeking integrated strategies to strengthen the economic, environmental, and managerial dimensions of electric mobility, directly supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 on affordable and clean energy.