A utility vehicle includes: a pair of front wheels; a pair of rear wheels; at least one front wheel power source configured to drive the front wheels and not to drive the rear wheels; at least one rear wheel power source configured to drive the rear wheels and not to drive the front wheels; and a controller that controls the front wheel power source and the rear wheel power source. Upon receiving a predetermined two-wheel drive command, the controller brings the front wheel power source into a non-operative state while allowing the rear wheel power source to drive the rear wheels. Upon receiving a predetermined four-wheel drive command, the controller brings the front wheel power source into operation while allowing the rear wheel power source to drive the rear wheels.

A vehicle control apparatus includes (a) a clutch control portion configured to output a hydraulic-pressure command value for supplying a hydraulic pressure to a clutch actuator of a clutch disposed between an engine and an electric motor, when the engine is to be started by being cranked by the electric motor, and (b) a learning control portion configured to execute a plurality of leanings for correcting a relationship representing a correlation between the hydraulic pressure and the hydraulic-pressure command value, wherein at least one of the leanings is a higher priority learning, and at least one of the leanings is a lower priority learning. The learning control portion is configured, when the higher priority learning is in an unconverged state, to cause a degree of reflection of a learning result of the lower priority learning to be lower, than when the higher priority learning is in a converged state.

A forced neutral remote start-up control method is provided. The method includes performing an E-clutch neutral switching control, which confirms the presence of an E-clutch upon receiving a remote start-up request signal of an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) to form a vehicle neutral state by an E-clutch state switching before generating an engine start-up signal, and performing an engine start-up by generating the engine start-up signal after confirming the vehicle neutral state.

Systems and methods for improving operation of a driveline disconnect clutch for a hybrid vehicle shifting are presented. In one example, pressure of a working fluid supplied to the driveline disconnect clutch is adjusted in response to a rate of change in accelerator pedal position. Further, pressure of the working fluid may be decreased responsive to selected operating conditions.

A utility vehicle includes: a pair of front wheels; a pair of rear wheels; at least one front wheel power source configured to drive the front wheels and not to drive the rear wheels; at least one rear wheel power source configured to drive the rear wheels and not to drive the front wheels; and a controller that controls the front wheel power source and the rear wheel power source. Upon receiving a predetermined two-wheel drive command, the controller brings the front wheel power source into a non-operative state while allowing the rear wheel power source to drive the rear wheels. Upon receiving a predetermined four-wheel drive command, the controller brings the front wheel power source into operation while allowing the rear wheel power source to drive the rear wheels.

A clutch control method is provided for a four-wheel-drive vehicle in which the main drive wheels are connected to a drive source, and the auxiliary drive wheels are connected via a friction clutch to the drive source. When the vehicle starts off due to an accelerator depressing operation, the friction clutch is engaged to distribute, a drive torque from the drive source to the main drive wheels and the auxiliary drive wheels. In this clutch control method, when the vehicle switches from a traveling state to a stopped state while maintaining in a travel shift position, a control is preformed to apply initial torque as an engagement torque control of the friction clutch while the vehicle is stopped. A magnitude of the initial torque is set to a magnitude that maintains a drive-system torsion state by transmitting torque to an auxiliary-drive-wheel drive system before the vehicle is stopped.

A vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a controller. The transmission has clutches, a circuit configured to transport fluid to the clutches, a pump configured to circulate the fluid through the circuit, and an accumulator disposed along the circuit. The controller is programmed to, responsive to an engine start and a fluid temperature being less than a temperature threshold, discharge the accumulator to prime the pump.

A hybrid drive vehicle having: at least one driving wheel; an internal combustion engine provided with a drive shaft; an electric machine provided with its own shaft; a gearbox which transmits motion to the driving wheel; a disengagable coupling which acts as a synchroniser and is interposed, to establish a disconnectable mechanical connection, between the drive shaft and the shaft of the electric machine; and a transmission shaft interposed, to establish a permanent mechanical connection, between the shaft of the electric machine on the opposite side to the coupling and the gearbox.

A vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a controller. The transmission has clutches, a circuit configured to transport fluid to the clutches, a pump configured to circulate the fluid through the circuit, and an accumulator disposed along the circuit. The controller is programmed to, responsive to an engine start and a fluid temperature being less than a temperature threshold, discharge the accumulator to prime the pump.

A clutch control method is provided for a four-wheel-drive vehicle in which the main drive wheels are connected to a drive source, and the auxiliary drive wheels are connected via a friction clutch to the drive source. When the vehicle starts off due to an accelerator depressing operation, the friction clutch is engaged to distribute, a drive torque from the drive source to the main drive wheels and the auxiliary drive wheels. In this clutch control method, when the vehicle switches from a traveling state to a stopped state while maintaining in a travel shift position, a control is preformed to apply initial torque as an engagement torque control of the friction clutch while the vehicle is stopped. A magnitude of the initial torque is set to a magnitude that maintains a drive-system torsion state by transmitting torque to an auxiliary-drive-wheel drive system before the vehicle is stopped.