A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle determines a scheduled travel route. The control apparatus further determines a downhill section included in the scheduled travel route by using gradient information acquired for a road section at a time when the vehicle has traveled on the road section and using gradient information stored in a navigation database for a road section on which the vehicle travels for a first time. The control apparatus determines a section from a downhill control start point to an end point of the target downhill section as a downhill control section. The downhill control start point is a point located a predetermined first distance closer to the vehicle from a start point of the target downhill section. When the vehicle travels on the downhill control section, the control apparatus executes downhill control.

A vehicle includes an engine, an MG (motor generator) an MG2, a planetary gear device mechanically coupled to the engine and MG1 and MG2, a battery, an inverter configured to perform a power conversion between the battery and MG1 and between the battery and MG2, and a controller. MG1 generates a counter-electromotive torque when rotated by the engine. During an inverter-less running control where the inverter is put into a gate shut-off state and the engine is driven to cause MG1 to generate the counter-electromotive torque, the controller decreases a engine target rotation speed Netag when an integrated value of battery charging current (deterioration evaluation value D) is greater than a predetermined value (threshold value D1) smaller than the engine target rotation speed Netag when the deterioration evaluation value D is equal to or smaller than the threshold value D1.

A current sensor fault detection system is disclosed which enables detection of a current sensor fault while the current sensor is operating and providing a current sensor output which is within a normal operating range. The current sensor is monitored by at least one controller which compares a change in battery state of charge error with a predetermined threshold. The change in battery state of charge error is a difference between a first change in battery state of charge calculated by integrating battery current with respect to a time and a second change in battery state of charge calculated based on the battery open circuit voltage during the time.

A driving device for a hybrid vehicle includes a transmission unit configured to output a rotation of an engine while changing rotating speed of the engine; and a first rotating electric machine. The first rotating electric machine is configured to supply a torque for increasing the rotating speed of the engine at the time of starting up of the engine to the engine through the transmission unit. At the time of starting up of the engine, the gear shift stage of the transmission unit is switched to an overdrive state. Thus, a torque sufficient for starting up of the engine can be supplied to the engine, and hence the engine can be appropriately started up.

Provided are self-powered actively steerable converter dollies (SPASCDs) for long combination vehicles (LCVs), LCVs utilizing SPASCDs, and methods of operating such LCVs. These SPASCDs could be used with conventional tractors and/or specifically configured tractors. A SPASCD may include an electrical drive, which can generate power (e.g., to charge SPASCD's battery) or generate torque using the electrical power stored in SPASCD's battery (e.g., to assist the tractor during acceleration or going uphill). The SPASCD also comprises steerable wheels and a steering component, configured to change the steering angle of the steerable wheels. The steering angle may be changed in response to various inputs, such as the steering angle of the tractor's front steerable wheels, the steering angle of the steerable wheels of another trailer in the same LCV, sensor inputs, and the like. This steering feature allows change the track of the SPASCD, e.g., to follow the tractor's track.

The present disclosure discloses an electric vehicle and an active safety control system and method thereof. The system includes: a wheel speed detection module configured to detect a wheel speed to generate a wheel speed signal; a steering wheel rotation angle sensor and a yaw rate sensor module, configured to detect state information of the electric vehicle; a motor controller; and an active safety controller configured to receive the wheel speed signal and state information, obtain state information of a battery pack and state information of four motors, obtain a first side slip signal or a second side slip signal according to the wheel speed signal, the state information, the battery pack and the four motors, and according to the first side slip signal or the second side slip signal, control four hydraulic brakes of the electric vehicle and control the four motors by using the motor controller.

A mode switching method of a hybrid vehicle includes: determining a reference on-power as a reference for switching from a first mode to a second mode and a reference off-power as a reference for switching from the second mode to the first mode; determining a minimum on-power, a minimum off-power, and a maximum off-power; and determining a final on-power and a final off-power using the reference on-power, the reference off-power, the minimum on-power, the minimum off-power, and the maximum off-power.

A hybrid vehicle includes: an engine; a catalyst; a motor generator; and a drive control unit. The catalyst is provided in an exhaust path of the engine. The motor generator is coupled to the engine and capable of regenerating electric power. The drive control unit is configured to increase torque output from the engine and cause the motor generator to regenerate the electric power by using the torque output from the engine in the case where the hybrid vehicle is in a deceleration state and a temperature of the catalyst is lower than a specified catalyst activation temperature.

A hybrid vehicle control device is provided that is capable of controlling a drive source according to a travel plan. The hybrid vehicle control device is configured to be mounted in a hybrid vehicle including a drive source having an engine and a motor/generator, and a navigation system that acquires travel environment information of a planned travel route. The control device is configured such that, upon selection of a travel plan mode, which controls the drive source according to a travel plan set for low fuel travel based on travel environment information acquired from the navigation system in the absence of the selection of an eco-mode, which controls the drive source to prioritize fuel efficiency over power performance, the selection of the travel plan mode is linked with a setting operation for the eco-mode.

The present disclosure is related to hybrid vehicles. The teachings thereof may be embodied in vehicles as well as operation schemes meant to increase energy efficiency, such as a method comprising: detecting multiple consumption parameters of the hybrid vehicle; determining a future state of charge of a traction battery of the vehicle by mapping the consumption parameters onto a state-of-charge value, wherein the mapping includes classifying the multiple consumption parameters according to trainable class boundaries; training the class boundaries based at least in part on the detected consumption parameters and an associated measured state of charge; and adjusting an operating parameter of a traction power component of the hybrid vehicle according to the determined future state of charge.