A system and method for operating an automatic start/stop system in a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an automatic transmission and a torque converter with an impeller disconnect clutch is disclosed. A controller may implement an engine start/stop system by, at appropriate times, stopping engine by halting fuel and restarting engine when propulsion is needed. During an engine start/stop event, the engine is automatically shut down and the impeller clutch of the torque converter may be disengaged to decouple the impeller and the engine to provide for fuel and emissions savings.

A stop/start hybrid vehicle includes an engine configured for stopping and restarting during travel, a multiple-ratio transmission, a brake pedal, and an electronic parking brake. The transmission can be shifted into reverse gear either when the brake pedal is applied or unapplied. At least one controller is programmed to control the vehicle under these scenarios. If the engine is off and the brake pedal is applied when the transmission is shifted into reverse, the controller restarts the engine. If the engine is off and the brake pedal is unapplied when the transmission is shifted into reverse, the controller inhibits the engine from restarting until the brake pedal is applied. The controller can also be programmed to apply the electronic parking brake while the brake pedal remains unapplied after a predetermined time from the transmission being shifted into the reverse gear.

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.

Systems and methods are provided for controlling a hybrid powertrain of a hybrid vehicle, and may include: determining a value of a drive request for a combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle; determining electrical loading on batteries of the hybrid vehicle; adjusting operation of an accessory of the hybrid vehicle to reduce the electrical load of that accessory on the batteries of the hybrid vehicle when the drive request value is above a determined drive request threshold amount and the electrical loading on batteries of the hybrid vehicle is above a power loading threshold; and directing at least some of the power saved by adjusting operation of the accessory from the batteries of the hybrid vehicle to a drive motor of the hybrid vehicle to provide motive force for the vehicle.

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.

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 method for analyzing the distribution of energy expenditures of a motor vehicle from data from a communications network and from parameters of the vehicle includes steps in which the energy expenditures of the vehicle over a journey are calculated, the said energy expenditures are analyzed by comparing them with at least one model of the vehicle simulating the same journey, an energy balance report is formulated on the basis of the analysis of the energy expenditures and of the fuel consumption and the said energy balance report is communicated to an external server.

A vehicle control method for executing a sailing stop control when a drive source stop condition is established while a vehicle is traveling. The sailing stop control stops a drive source of the vehicle and releases an engaging element provided between the drive source and a drive wheel such that the vehicle travels under inertia. The vehicle control method acquires information on a road on which the vehicle will travel, and then determines whether there is a section on a route where the sailing stop control can be executed based on the information. Upon determining a section exist capable of the sailing stop control, the vehicle control method estimates a power shortage amount, which is a shortage amount of power during sailing stop control, based on the information, and charges a battery with power required to cover the power shortage amount prior to starting the sailing stop control.

A vehicle includes a chassis, an engine coupled to the chassis, a power source coupled to the chassis, and a track assembly. The track assembly includes an electric motor coupled to the chassis, a first drive wheel coupled to the electric motor and pivotally coupled to the chassis, a second drive wheel coupled to the engine and pivotally coupled to the chassis, and a track engaging the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel. The engine is configured to provide mechanical energy to the second drive wheel to drive the track and propel the vehicle. The electric motor is configured to receive electrical energy from the power source and provide mechanical energy to the first drive wheel to drive the track and propel the vehicle.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling a distribution between engine and motor torques for a hybrid electric vehicle operating in a creep mode of operation in response to an engine start request. In one example, responsive to a request to start an engine while a vehicle is being propelled at a predetermined wheel creep torque via an electric motor positioned downstream of a transmission and a torque converter, coordinating an electric motor torque and an engine torque in one of a first mode, second mode, or a third mode depending on whether the electric motor can continue to provide the predetermined wheel creep torque. In this way, engine idle speed may be minimized depending on vehicle operating conditions, which may improve fuel economy.