An internal combustion engine of a series hybrid vehicle starts generating power when a catalyst temperature or a coolant temperature has decreased to an activation temperature or a lower limit water temperature, and stops generating power when the catalyst temperature or the coolant temperature reaches an operation end temperature. A target duration time of EV mode operation is set, and respective temperature decrease rates are used to set the operation end temperature so that a difference in temperature relative to the activation temperature will be ?TC-Ra?Tev, and to set the operation end temperature so that a difference in temperature relative to the lower limit water temperature will be ?TW=Rb?Tev.

A method for preconditioning a vehicle comprising a combustion engine before start by using electricity from an external grid, comprising the step of heating the catalytic converter with an electrical heater mounted inside catalytic converter, where the heater is powered by the external grid. As a result, cold start emissions can be advantageously reduced, and the energy consumption and the exhaust emission of the vehicle can be minimized.

Methods and systems are provided for a estimating a drive train temperature for a journey. In one example, a method comprises requesting a vehicle operator to input one or more travel parameters for the journey, predicting travel parameters the vehicle operator omitted to input, and displaying an estimated fuel economy for the journey, where the estimated fuel economy is based on the estimated drive train temperature, which is based on the travel parameters.

A temperature of a vehicle propulsion subsystem is measured. At least two countermeasures are actuated, including actuating a vehicle climate control subsystem and opening at least one vehicle window when the temperature exceeds a first threshold.

A method of changing an operation mode of a hybrid vehicle may include determining a current operation mode, determining a predicted travel distance in a first mode when the current operation mode is the first mode or a current driving load satisfies a criterion for switching to the first mode as a result of the determination, determining whether an engine is warmed up, and determining whether to drive in the first mode or a second mode according to the determined predicted travel distance and whether the engine is warmed up.

A system and method are provided for hybrid electric internal combustion engine applications in which a motor-generator, a narrow switchable coupling and a torque transfer unit therebetween are arranged and positioned in the constrained environment at the front of an engine in applications such as commercial vehicles, off-road vehicles and stationary engine installations. The motor-generator is preferably positioned laterally offset from the switchable coupling, which is co-axially-arranged with the front end of the engine crankshaft. The switchable coupling is an integrated unit in which a crankshaft vibration damper, an engine accessory drive pulley and a disengageable clutch overlap such that the axial depth of the clutch-pulley-damper unit is nearly the same as a conventional belt drive pulley and engine damper. The front end motor-generator system includes an electrical energy store that receives electrical energy generated by the motor-generator when the coupling is engaged. When the coupling is disengaged, the motor-generator may drive the pulley portion of the clutch-pulley-damper to drive the engine accessories using energy returned from the energy store, independent of the engine crankshaft.

The present invention relates to a method and a system for adaptation of a vehicle's performance. This system comprises a receiving device arranged to receive a request that a driver of the vehicle wishes to use a temporary performance mode. The system also comprises a first initiation device arranged to initiate a use of a preparation mode based on the driver's request, where the vehicle, during such preparation mode, prepares the vehicle to use an increased fraction of the power, generated by the engine in the vehicle, for the propulsion of the vehicle. The system also comprises a second initiation device arranged to initiate a use of the temporary performance mode, wherein such temporary performance mode uses the increased fraction of the power generated, released by the preparation mode, to provide a temporary performance boost for at least one feature relating to the propulsion of the vehicle.

A hybrid vehicle comprises an engine, an energy storage device, and an aftertreatment system comprising a SCR catalyst configured to treat constituents of an exhaust gas. A controller is operatively coupled to the engine, the energy storage device, and the after treatment system, and configured to estimate an exhaust gas temperature and flow rate of the exhaust gas based on a set of engine operating parameters. The controller determines an exhaust gas cooling rate based on the exhaust gas temperature, flow rate, and a SCR catalyst temperature, and an ambient cooling rate based on an ambient temperature, a vehicle speed and the catalyst temperature. The controller determines a SCR catalyst temperature change rate based on the exhaust gas and ambient cooling rates, and adjusts a load distribution between the engine and the energy storage device based on the SCR catalyst temperature change rate.

A control system for a vehicle including an engine, an electrical storage unit and a generator driven by the engine, the control system includes a socket and a controller. The socket is configured to supply electric power from the generator or the electrical storage unit to a device outside the vehicle in a travel stop state. The controller stops the engine when a preset condition is satisfied. The controller sets a first range and a second range in which the condition is satisfied. The first range is the range in a case where electric power is supplied to the device outside the vehicle and the second range is the range in another case. The first range is narrower than the second range.

The invention provides a power storage system of a hybrid vehicle in which a battery can be charged with electric power supplied from an external power supply. The power storage system includes an engine heater and a battery heater, a DC/DC converter that converts a voltage of input power and outputs the power to the engine heater and the battery heater, respectively, a charger connected to the external power supply and operable to outputs power supplied from the external power battery to the battery and the DC/DC converter, and a controller that performs external charge control for charging the battery with power supplied from the external power supply, and temperature regulation control for raising the temperatures of the engine and the battery, by supplying power from the external power supply to the engine heater and the battery heater via the DC/DC converter, until the external charge control ends.