A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a rotating electric machine, an electric storage device, a power supply device, and a controller. The controller executes switching control to switch from a first electric power supply to a second electric power supply by starting the internal combustion engine. The first electric power supply is the supply of electric power from the electric storage device to the electric device. The second electric power supply is the supply of electric power from the rotating electric machine to the electric device. The controller controls the power supply device and the internal combustion engine such that the internal combustion engine is started with the first electric power supply being continued during the switching control.

A method includes detecting a fault of a component of a vehicle. The method also includes providing a plurality of modes of operation for the vehicle including an engine only mode, an electric only mode, a hybrid mode, a partial engine only mode, a partial electric only mode and a partial hybrid mode. At least two of the plurality of modes of operation that avoid use of the faulty component are displayed on a display screen, and a selection of one of the at least two of the plurality of modes of operation that are displayed on the display screen is received. The method includes activating at least one electric, mechanical or software isolator to isolate or disengage at least one component associated with electric propulsion of the vehicle or at least one component associated with combustion engine propulsion of the vehicle that includes the faulty component.

A drivability target engine speed is set based on a shift stage based on an accelerator opening level and a vehicle speed and the vehicle speed, and a base driving force is set based on an accelerator required driving force and the drivability target engine speed. When an elapsed time after an accelerator depression amount increases is less than a threshold value, a correction driving force is set based on an increase in accelerator depression amount and an engine, a first motor, and a second motor are controlled such that an effective driving force obtained by adding the correction driving force to the base driving force is output to a drive shaft for a hybrid vehicle to travel.

Spark ignition engine operation at higher RPM so as to reduce alcohol requirements in high efficiency alcohol enhanced gasoline engines is disclosed. Control of engine upspeeding (use of a higher ratio of engine RPM to wheel RPM) so as to achieve an alcohol reduction objective while limiting any decrease in efficiency is described. High RPM alcohol enhanced gasoline engine operation in plug-in series hybrid powertrains for heavy duty trucks and other vehicles is also described.

A vehicle includes a starter motor, an engine having an output mechanically coupled to the starter motor, a transmission having an input, and an electric machine mechanically coupled to the transmission input. The vehicle further includes a clutch configured to mechanically couple the electric machine and the output of the engine, and at least one controller. The at least one controller is programmed to initiate an engine start based on driver demand. The controller is further configured to enable pressure to the clutch for the engine start if driver demand is less than a calibratable torque value or enable the starter motor for the engine start if the driver demand is greater than a calibratable torque value. The controller may lock the clutch to the output of the engine in response to the speed of the engine being approximately equal to the speed of the electric machine.

When a catalyst temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature on a second or subsequent start of an engine since system activation of a vehicle, a catalyst warm-up request is output for the purpose of warming up a catalyst in a catalytic converter. An output limit Wout of a battery is not increased in response to a second or subsequent output of the catalyst warm-up request, while being increased in response to a first output of the catalyst warm-up request. Accordingly, the catalyst warm-up in response to the second or subsequent output of the catalyst warm-up request since the system activation suppresses excessive output of electric power from the battery and thereby suppresses deterioration of the battery. Catalyst warm-up is performed in response to the second or subsequent output of the catalyst warm-up request. This suppresses deterioration of emission. As a result, this configuration satisfies both (balances) suppression of deterioration of the battery and suppression of deterioration of emission.

A control device for a hybrid vehicle is, in the process of stopping an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, capable of making twist angle fluctuation reduction control and crank angle position control mutually compatible. When a request for stopping the internal combustion engine has been issued, twist angle fluctuation reduction control is implemented without implementing crank angle position control, until, in the process of bringing the engine to a stopped state, the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine drops below the resonant rotational speed region of the torsional damper; and, after the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine has dropped below the resonant rotational speed region of the torsional damper in the process of bringing the engine to a stopped state, crank angle position control is implemented without implementing twist angle fluctuation reduction control, until stopping of the internal combustion engine has been completed.

An engine starting control system for hybrid vehicles is provided to prevent a temporal drop in drive force when starting an engine. The control system maintains an operating mode of a switching mechanism when starting the engine by the first motor, in a case that the vehicle is propelled in the forward direction by the first motor and that the switching mechanism is in a second mode, or in a case that the vehicle is propelled in the reverse direction by the first motor and that the switching mechanism is in the first mode. Thereafter, the control system increases a rotational speed of the engine to a self-sustaining speed, switches the operating mode of the switching mechanism, and increases torque of the engine.

A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, an electrical storage device, a rotary electric machine, and a controller. The internal combustion engine includes a variable valve actuating device. The variable valve actuating device is configured to change an operation characteristic of an intake valve. The electrical storage device is configured to be charged. The rotary electric machine is configured to generate driving force for propelling the hybrid vehicle by using electric power that is supplied from the electrical storage device. The controller is configured to cause the hybrid vehicle to travel in a selected one of a charge sustaining mode and a charge depleting mode. The charge sustaining mode is a mode in which a state of charge of the electrical storage device is kept within a predetermined range. The charge depleting mode is a mode in which consumption of the state of charge is given a higher priority as compared to the charge sustaining mode. The controller is configured to change a switching condition for switching from the charge depleting mode to the charge sustaining mode such that a first state of charge is higher than a second state of charge. The first state of charge is an state of charge at which the controller switches from the charge depleting mode to the charge sustaining mode at the time when the operation characteristic of the intake valve is unchangeable to a desired operation characteristic. The second state of charge is an state of charge at which the controller switches from the charge depleting mode to the charge sustaining mode at the time when the operation characteristic of the intake valve is changeable to a desired operation characteristic.

A power controller of a hybrid vehicle includes: a first drive motor that drives any one of a front wheel and a rear wheel of a vehicle; an engine that drives the one wheel or the corresponding other one of the front wheel and the rear wheel of the vehicle through a clutch; a generator that is driven by the engine; and a voltage transformer that steps down generated electric power supplied to the first drive motor and a battery from the generator. The power controller limits passing power of the voltage transformer according to the temperature of the voltage transformer, and connects the clutch when the passing power of the voltage transformer is limited.