A vehicle includes a powertrain and a controller. The powertrain has an engine and an electric machine. The controller is programmed to, for so long as a catalytic converter temperature is less than a threshold, maintain a steady state engine torque output and adjust an electric machine torque output to satisfy driver demand. The controller is further programmed to, responsive to the catalytic converter temperature exceeding the threshold, permit adjustments of the engine torque output to satisfy the driver demand.

One exemplary embodiment is a vehicle system comprising an engine, an exhaust aftertreatment system including a heating element, an electric machine configured to selectably operate as a motor or a generator, an inverter module including a plurality of inverter phase legs and an auxiliary leg, and an electronic control system in operative communication with the inverter module and the exhaust aftertreatment system. The electronic control system is configured to evaluate whether the electric machine is operating as a generator, selectably operate the plurality of inverter phase legs to rectify AC power received from the electric machine, evaluate whether to heat one or more components of the exhaust aftertreatment system, and selectably operate the auxiliary leg to provide rectified power from the inverter legs to one or more electrical heating elements thermally coupled with the one or more components exhaust aftertreatment system effective to heat the one or more components.

The hybrid vehicle is provide with the control device configured to permit fuel cutoff of the engine when the SOC of the power storage device is greater than a first predetermined ratio, an amount of particulate matter deposited on the filter is less than a first predetermined amount, or a temperature of the filter is lower than a predetermined temperature. The control device is configured to set the allowable upper-limit ratio of the SOC: to a second predetermined ratio greater than the first predetermined ratio when the PM amount is less than a second predetermined amount less than the first predetermined amount, and to a third predetermined ratio equal to or less than the first predetermined ratio when the PM amount is equal to or greater than the second predetermined amount.

A method for reducing nitrogen oxide emissions of a diesel vehicle. In this context, first state variables of the diesel vehicle are measured with the aid of sensors of the diesel vehicle, and using an arithmetic unit, it is ascertained, as a function of the first state variables, if the nitrogen oxide emissions are exceeding a predetermined threshold, or using the arithmetic unit, it is predicted, as a function of the first state variables, if the nitrogen oxide emissions will exceed the predetermined threshold. If exceedance of the threshold is calculated or predicted, then an intervention in the current torque demand of the diesel vehicle and/or an intervention in the current transmission ratio or setting of a transmission of the diesel vehicle is ascertained by the arithmetic unit; the intervention contributing to a reduction in the nitrogen oxide emissions to a value below the threshold.

A vehicle control device aims to ensure more appropriate self-driving based on circumstances around its own vehicle. The vehicle control device controls an engine and a motor such as to drive the vehicle with changing over between motor drive without operation of the engine and hybrid drive with operation of the engine. In the motor drive in a self-driving mode where the vehicle is driven independently of a driver's accelerating or decelerating operation, the vehicle control device maintains the motor drive when an other vehicle condition is not met, where the other vehicle condition is a condition that any other vehicle is present in a predetermined distance at least either ahead of the own vehicle or behind the own vehicle, while allowing for a shift to the hybrid drive when the other vehicle condition is met.

A method and a system for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an engine exhaust after treatment device is cooled at an opportunistic time. The approach may provide improved cooling for exhaust after treatment devices and it may also improve vehicle emissions.

Systems and methods are described for emissions control of a hybrid vehicle. An instruction to switch from a combustion engine power mode of the hybrid vehicle to an electric power mode of the hybrid vehicle is received. A temperature of a catalyst associated with a combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle is identified, where exhaust gases from the combustion engine are passed over the catalyst. If the temperature of the catalyst is at, or above, a threshold level, the hybrid vehicle is switched to the electric power mode, and the combustion engine is switched off. If the temperature of the catalyst is below the threshold level, the hybrid vehicle is switched to the electric power mode, and the catalyst temperature is maintained at, or above, the threshold level.

A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to control an engine torque such that a first torque change amount of the engine torque when the temperature of the catalyst belongs to a predetermined low temperature region to be lower than a second torque change amount of the engine torque when the temperature of the catalyst belongs to a high temperature region. The high temperature region is a region having a temperature higher than the low temperature region.

A system and method for adjusting engine settings and/or calibrations is based on engine and/or vehicle parameters, and/or environmental conditions, and is further based upon a forecasted drive cycle, forecasted driving condition, vehicle vocation, vehicle geographic location, vehicle load, type of operation, season of the year, vehicle system or subsystem condition and/or operation, and/or other factors. An engine of the vehicle has an ECU configured to store and implement an engine control map. At least one algorithm is operable to determine an engine control map specific to an engine operating parameter, a vehicle operating parameter, an environmental condition, and/or an expected range of settings and calibrations. At least one device is configured to wirelessly upload to the vehicle the specific engine control map, and then load or flash the specific engine control map to the ECU.

Disclosed is an exhaust purification system for an internal combustion engine applied to a hybrid vehicle that performs EV travel after system power is turned on. The exhaust purification system includes: an exhaust purification catalyst; a heating element configured to generate heat with reception of power to heat the exhaust purification catalyst; a battery configured to supply the power to a motor and the heating element; a sensing unit configured to sense riding of an occupant in the hybrid vehicle; and a controller configured to execute first control to control the supply of the power from the battery to the heating element so that the power of electric energy of a prescribed ratio among activation electric energy is supplied to the heating element when the riding of the occupant is sensed by the sensing unit and a storage amount of the battery is larger than a second storage amount.