At the time of changing from an EV mode, in which a hybrid vehicle travels with the use of a second motor provided on an output side of a differential mechanism while torque that acts on any one of rotating elements of the differential mechanism is interrupted by a clutch, to an HV mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels while transmitting output torque of an engine to a drive wheel, when the engine is started in a state where the clutch is slipped and torque is transmitted from the engine so as to increase the rotation speed of the first rotating element while the clutch is slipped, torque starts being output from a first motor such that torque input from the first rotating element to the differential mechanism to increase the rotation speed of the drive wheel is output from the third rotating element.

A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and a rotary electric machine. The internal combustion engine includes a variable valve actuating device configured to change an operation characteristic of an intake valve. The rotary electric machine is configured to generate driving force for propelling the hybrid vehicle. A controller for the hybrid vehicle includes a traveling control unit and a valve actuation control unit. The traveling control unit executes traveling control for causing the hybrid vehicle to travel by using the driving force of the rotary electric machine while stopping the internal combustion engine. The traveling control unit starts up the internal combustion engine while executing the traveling control. The valve actuation control unit controls the variable valve actuating device. The valve actuation control unit, when the internal combustion engine is started up while the traveling control is executed, sets at least one of a valve lift and valve operating angle of the intake valve such that the at least one of the valve lift and valve operating angle of the intake valve when the hybrid vehicle travels at a first vehicle speed is smaller than the corresponding at least one of the valve lift and valve operating angle of the intake valve when the hybrid vehicle travels at a second vehicle speed. The second vehicle speed is lower than the first vehicle speed.

A method for operating a hybrid drive device, which includes a first drive unit and a second drive unit is disclosed, wherein a drive torque of the hybrid drive device is produced only by means of the first drive unit in a first operating mode and is produced jointly by the first drive unit and the second drive unit in a second operating mode, and wherein an actual rotational speed of the second drive unit is brought into line with a target rotational speed upon a switchover from the first operating mode to the second operating mode. In order to bring the actual rotational speed into line, a target rotational speed gradient is determined and a target torque determined on the basis of the target rotational speed gradient is set at the second drive unit.

A control apparatus for a vehicle includes a preceding vehicle detector, a course change predictor, an oncoming vehicle detector, an oncoming-vehicle arrival-time calculator, a crossing predictor, and a following-control corrector. The course change predictor predicts a course change of a preceding vehicle detected by the preceding vehicle detector in a direction crossing an oncoming lane. When the course change is predicted, the oncoming-vehicle arrival-time calculator calculates an estimated arrival time of an oncoming vehicle detected by the oncoming vehicle detector to the preceding vehicle. The crossing predictor compares the estimated arrival time with a necessary crossing time, and predicts, when the estimated arrival time is shorter than the necessary crossing time, that the preceding vehicle will not travel across the oncoming lane. When it is predicted that the preceding vehicle will not travel across the oncoming lane, the following-control corrector lowers a deceleration or acceleration rate of the vehicle.

A driving assistance apparatus includes a clutch provided between a drive source and a transmission, a clutch operator with which a driver who drives a vehicle disengages the clutch, a clutch operation detector that detects that the clutch is disengaged, a shift operator with which the driver sets the transmission at least to a neutral position, a shift position detector that detects that the transmission is in the neutral position, a low-speed motor, and a controller that controls a drive force of the low-speed motor. The controller includes a driving mode setter that sets a driving mode of the vehicle to a motor driving mode when the clutch is detected to be disengaged or the transmission is detected to be in the neutral position. The controller stops the drive source and starts the low-speed motor when the driving mode is set to the motor driving mode.

A vehicle control system increases the travel distance of a vehicle by inhibiting reduction in the SOC of a battery even when the output of an engine is limited. The control system is characterized by comprising: an electric motor that drives a vehicle: an engine that drives a power generator that generates electric power to be supplied to the electric motor; a battery that is configured to be chargeable by the power generator and that is electrically connected to the electric motor; and a controller that controls the electric motor.

A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.

A hybrid electric vehicle includes: a powertrain configured to execute hybrid traveling and power generation, and electric traveling, the hybrid traveling and the power generation being performed through cooperation of an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors; a battery that transmits and receives electric power to and from the powertrain; and a control device. The control device executes management of a remaining battery level of the battery for securing a specific remaining battery level as traveling assistance, when a specific section in which operation of the internal combustion engine is restricted exists on a predicted travel route. The control device executes a selection process for selecting, based on presence or absence of an execution history of the traveling assistance and the remaining battery level, a traveling mode before entering the specific section from a BEV mode, an HEV mode, and a charging mode.

A vehicle includes a chain tensioner that serves as an oil damper using oil supplied from an oil pump. The vehicle includes a controller that controls a traveling mode of the vehicle in a BEV mode or a non-BEV mode. When shifting the traveling mode from the BEV mode to the non-BEV mode, the controller executes a high-pressure process for calculating a supply pressure of oil supplied to the chain tensioner that is higher when a duration of the BEV mode is greater than or equal to a specified time than when the BEV mode duration is less than the specified time.

A method of controlling heating of a hybrid electric vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving a heating request from a driver; determining whether an entry condition of pre-FATC engine ON request (PFEOR) control is satisfied; checking whether the vehicle is capable of entering a HEV mode; determining whether the vehicle enters an idle mode for the PFEOR control; issuing a command for a target engine torque value and a target revolutions per minute for the idle mode to an engine control unit (ECU) from a hybrid control unit (HCU); and performing an engine idle speed control along with engine ON based on the command.