A revolution position of an engine is set to a revolution position suitable for a start. A control apparatus for an electric vehicle includes an engine, a motor which generates electricity, a battery, a first controller which drives the engine, a second controller which drives the motor, and a sensor. The second controller confirms a relative position relationship between a revolution position of the engine and a rotation position of the motor by acquiring information of the revolution position of the engine from the first controller during the electricity generation driving by the motor and monitors the revolution position of the engine based on the relative position relationship and a signal from the sensor, and the second controller checks the stop position of the engine through the monitoring of the revolution position of the engine when the motor finishes the electricity generation driving.

The object of the invention is to travel backward by an engine alone in a state where an electric motor is disconnected. Thus, external teeth are formed on the outer periphery of a ring gear which meshes with a first sun gear via a first pinion gear and a second pinion gear and to which power input from an electric motor is transmitted; a power transmission mechanism further includes a gear meshing with the external teeth of the ring gear; and a second clutch capable of non-rotatably fixing the ring gear at the time of causing a vehicle to travel backward with power input from an engine is provided between the ring gear and a transmission case.

A method is provided for controlling a hybrid drive train comprising a first partial drive train including an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a second partial drive train, which is separated from the first partial drive train by a torsional elasticity having an electric machine with a rotor A rotational characteristic value of the first partial drive train is detected via a sensor arranged on the torsional elasticity A rotational characteristic value of the rotor is detected via a device engaged with the rotor. A quality index is determined based on the rotational characteristic value of the first partial drive train and the rotational characteristic value of the rotor. The electric machine is controller to optimize the quality index.

A control method controls a series hybrid vehicle in which a drive motor and an internal combustion engine are supported in a vehicle body via a plurality of mount members in an integrated state. The control method using a controller generates electric power using an electric power generation motor, and drives the electric power generation motor using motive power of the internal combustion engine. The control method drives a drive wheel with the drive motor using the generated electric power, and causes the drive motor to generate regenerative torque during deceleration. In the control method, the regenerative torque is generated by the drive motor such that an upper limit of the regenerative torque is restricted to a magnitude at which an engine rotational speed where resonance occurs on the vehicle body floor.

Various disclosed embodiments include illustrative drive unit controllers, drive units, and vehicles. In an illustrative embodiment, a drive unit controller includes a processor having computer-readable media configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to receive free-wheel tow mode activation information, activate a hold mode based on the received free-wheel tow mode activation information, generate a zero-speed command in response to the hold mode being activated, and send the generated zero-speed command to a stabilizing system of the associated vehicle.

A vehicle includes an electric machine and a controller. The controller is programmed to responsive to a threshold difference, indicative of wheel slip, between average wheel speed and a vehicle speed that is based on a difference between wheel acceleration and measured vehicle acceleration, command a speed to the electric machine to reduce the wheel slip.

A method for operating a motor vehicle that has an internal combustion engine and an automated manual transmission, connected between the engine and a drive output. The transmission includes a shifting element group with a plurality of shifting elements. The transmission further includes an oil pump and an electric machine, both of which are integrated in the transmission and coupled to an input shaft of the transmission. The oil pump delivers a flow of transmission oil for cooling the shifting element group and cooling the electric machine, and the shifting elements of the shifting element group are controlled and shifted by an actuator system that is independent of the oil pump. When the motor vehicle is at rest, the oil pump is driven by the electric machine in order to cool the electric machine while the motor vehicle is at rest.

Disclosed is a method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle having a transmission, an engine, and first and second drive motors. The method includes: performing charging through the first drive motor using the power of the engine by engaging an engine clutch disposed between the engine and the first drive motor while a vehicle is stopped with the gear stage shifted to the parking (P) range; turning off the engine and controlling the clutch of the transmission to enter an open state when the gear stage is shifted to the driving (D) range; and commencing movement of the vehicle using the second drive motor alone or using at least one of the first drive motor or the engine together with the second drive motor based on at least one of requested torque, available torque of the second drive motor, or the speed of the first drive motor.

Vision based guidance system and method for lawn mowing devices are disclosed. An exemplary method for operating an autonomous lawn mower includes receiving, via a receiver, a perimeter data set from a handheld computer. The perimeter data set includes a perimeter outline of at least one perimeter that is determined utilizing a GPS unit of the handheld computer. The exemplary method also includes collecting, via at least one camera, images of a set area within the perimeter outline and mowing, via a mowing blade, grass within the set area. The exemplary method also includes autonomously steering, via a controller, the autonomous lawn mower based on the perimeter outline of the at least one perimeter and the images captured by the at least one camera.

A series hybrid vehicle control method charges a battery with electric power generated by an electric power generation motor driven by an internal combustion engine, and electric power regenerated by a drive motor. The control method starts generating the electric power by the engine if a requested output exceeds a power generation start threshold value, and stops generating electric power by the engine if the requested output falls below a power generation stop threshold value. A deceleration rate by regeneration of the drive motor is greater in a second advancement shift position than in a first advancement shift position. The power generation start threshold value and/or the power generation stop threshold value where the second advancement shift position has been selected is greater than the power generation start threshold value or the power generation stop threshold value where the first advancement shift position has been selected.