A vehicle includes an inverter, a first battery, a first power line, a second battery, a second power line, and a voltage converter. Ranges of use with respect to open circuit voltages of the first battery and the second battery do not overlap each other, and ranges of use with respect to closed circuit voltages of the first and the second batteries overlap each other. When a regenerative power output from the inverter to the first power line is supplied to the second power line via the voltage converter, and the second battery is charged, an ECU calculates a maximum regenerative power with respect to the regenerative power output from the inverter to the first power line based on the open circuit voltage of the first battery and controls the inverter and the voltage converter such that the regenerative power does not exceed the maximum regenerative power.

Vehicles such as a combustion engine, electric, and/or hybrid electric vehicles and methods of operation, which include controller(s) configured to respond to cruise control signals, and to generate a route efficiency profile according to instantaneous vehicle performance parameters and environmental conditions. The controller(s) are also modified to adjust a vehicle cruise speed according to the signal and profile, to enable reaching at least one designated destination in a minimum time, and whereby vehicle range is extended to the destination, while one or more reserve energy limits of battery power and fuel are maintained. The controller(s) are also adapted to detect instantaneous feedback signals that include the performance parameters and environmental conditions, and to generate error signals according to an actual vehicle watt-hour per mile efficiency and the route efficiency profile. The controller(s) adjust the cruise speed adaptively according to the error signal, such that error signal magnitude is reduced.

An electric power supply control apparatus for a vehicle decreases a first electric power prior to switching the modes, when a sum of a request value of a second electric power and the first electric power exceeds a total electric power upper limit value in the mode before the switching, and switches the modes after the sum of the decreased first electric power and the request value of the second electric power becomes equal to or smaller than the total electric power upper limit value.

A control apparatus is used in an onboard system provided to a vehicle. The onboard system includes an internal combustion engine and a power generator. The power generator generates power and supplies the generated power to an electrical load provided to the vehicle. An output torque of the internal combustion engine causes the vehicle to travel and causes the power generator to generate power. Based on a power supply request by the electrical load, the control apparatus controls the output torque of the internal combustion engine. In response to the output torque being increased based on the power supply request, the control apparatus causes the power generator to generate the power by the output torque, while restricting generated power during an initial period when the output torque is being increased.

A method of operating a hybrid electric vehicle includes driving an engine to generate mechanical energy, converting the mechanical energy into a first AC voltage, estimating a total DC link current associated with a respective plurality of loads of the hybrid electric vehicle, converting, with a first inverter, the first AC voltage into a DC bus voltage by regulating the DC bus voltage based on the total DC link current, and inverting, with a respective plurality of inverters, the DC bus voltage into a respective plurality of other AC voltages to drive the respective plurality of loads on the hybrid electric vehicle.

One of objectives of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control system, a vehicle control method and a vehicle control program, which can properly perform control related to automatic driving based on the energy of the vehicle. The vehicle control system comprises: an automatic driving control part, executing automatic driving performing automatic driving of at least one of velocity control and steering control of an automatic vehicle, and a function limiting part, limiting functions related to automatic driving when the energy of the vehicle is insufficient due to automatic driving.

A method for operating a hybrid electric vehicle including an electric machine, a battery and an internal combustion engine, the load point of which is shifted upward to drive the electric machine for charging the battery in the generator mode, wherein a target state of charge of the battery is specified; a required target charging capacity is determined; the load point of the internal combustion engine initially is only shifted upward within an engine-map range of the internal combustion engine.

A hybrid vehicle is operated with a combustion engine, an electric machine and a gear unit. The vehicle has a first electrical system and a second electrical system as a vehicle electrical system. The first electrical system, which is operated at a higher voltage level than the second electrical system, operates the electric machine, an electrical energy storage device, an energy converter that transmits electrical power at least from the first electrical system into the second electrical system. An alternator is not used in the second electrical system. The first electrical system is a part of a transmission system that together with the components that are coupled to the transmission system is controlled by a transmission control unit. During power generation by the electric machine the energy supply of the second electrical system has a higher priority than a motor-mode support of the drive by the electric machine.

A vehicle control system includes at least one sensor and a power supply control system. The sensor is on board a vehicle system and configured to generate vehicle data relating to a condition or parameter associated with the vehicle system. The power supply control system is configured to control one or more power supplies on board the vehicle system and to receive the vehicle data from the at least one sensor. The power supply control system is also configured to compare the vehicle data to one or more criteria relating to vehicle movement, and, in response to a determination that the vehicle data meets the criteria and receipt of a signal indicative of the vehicle system carrying (or being configured to carry) cargo of a predetermined material, generate a control signal to deactivate at least one of the power supplies.

A vehicle power supply apparatus includes first and second power supply systems, first and second switches, first and second switch controllers, a generator motor controller, an engine controller, and an idling stop determination unit. The idling stop determination unit determines whether or not to inhibit an idling stop control on the basis of a current of an first electrical energy accumulator of the first power supply system, a current of a second electrical energy accumulator of the second power supply system, or a voltage of a generator motor of the second power supply system, or any combination thereof, while recognizing a third control signal to be transmitted to the generator motor, a first control signal to be transmitted to the first switch, and a second control signal to be transmitted to the second switch.