An operating strategy optimized for dynamic requirements for 48V drive systems of MHEV.

A hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine, a motor, a battery, a coupling mechanism, an electric power generating mechanism, and a vehicle controller. The engine and motor drive driving wheels. The battery supplies electric power for running to the motor. The coupling mechanism switches coupling of the engine and the driving wheels between direct coupling and buffering coupling. The electric power generating mechanism generates electric power. The vehicle controller switches a running mode of the hybrid electric vehicle between a first running mode and a second running mode with higher running performance. The vehicle controller limits the electric power generation under a first condition when the buffering coupling is applied during the first running mode and limits the electric power generation under a second condition less limited than the first condition when the buffering coupling is applied during the second running mode.

Provided is a hybrid vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, and switches a driving mode between an EV mode and an HV mode. A position of the hybrid vehicle is determined, when determination is made that the hybrid vehicle is within a low emission zone where operation of the internal combustion engine is to be restricted, the operation of the internal combustion engine is stopped, and when determination is made that the hybrid vehicle is within an entrance area adjacent to a boundary of the low emission zone outside the low emission zone, an occupant of the hybrid vehicle is notified that the hybrid vehicle enters or is likely to enter the low emission zone soon.

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.

Disclosed are a vehicle for generating an acceleration profile based on the acceleration cognitive characteristics of the human and a method of controlling the same. The method includes: receiving a manipulation amount of an accelerator pedal and calculating a first torque value, inserting the first torque value to a function that receives force and outputs acceleration feeling, generating a second torque value by inserting an output value of the function into a first filter for stabilizing the output value, generating a target torque value by inputting the second torque value to a second filter for stabilizing the second torque value, and generating a torque command based on the target torque value.

A hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine, a motor, a battery, a coupling mechanism, an electric power generating mechanism, and a vehicle controller. The engine and motor drive driving wheels. The battery supplies electric power for running to the motor. The coupling mechanism switches coupling of the engine and the driving wheels between direct coupling and buffering coupling. The electric power generating mechanism generates electric power. The vehicle controller switches a running mode of the hybrid electric vehicle between a first running mode and a second running mode with higher running performance. The vehicle controller limits the electric power generation under a first condition when the buffering coupling is applied during the first running mode and limits the electric power generation under a second condition less limited than the first condition when the buffering coupling is applied during the second running mode.

A vehicle control device includes a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions to perform. The processor is configured to acquiring a state of a first battery and a state of a second battery having lower capacity and higher power than the first battery, calculating a first upper power limit value based on the state of the first battery, calculating a second upper power limit value based on the state of the second battery, and calculating a power output ratio between amounts of electric power to be supplied from the first battery and the second battery to a motor that outputs motive power for traveling based on the first upper power limit value and the second upper power limit value, and controlling electric power to be output to the motor based on a traveling mode of a vehicle, a maximum driving force in the motor, and the power output ratio. The controlling of the electric power includes changes the maximum amount of electric power based on whether or not the traveling mode is a first traveling mode in which traveling performance has higher priority than that in another traveling mode.

When an abnormality associated with power transmission in a power transmission path which is formed such that power of an engine or the like is able to be transmitted to driving wheels has occurred and a vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined vehicle speed, a limp-home travel control unit switches a limp-home travel mode to a first limp-home travel mode in which the power of the engine or the like is able to be transmitted to the driving wheels through the power transmission path. When an abnormality associated with power transmission in the power transmission path has occurred and the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined vehicle speed, the limp-home travel control unit switches the limp-home travel mode to a second limp-home travel mode in which limp-home travel is performed using power of a second electric motor.

A method of virtualizing the characteristics of an internal-combustion-engine vehicle in an electric vehicle includes: receiving vehicle driving information of the electric vehicle at a controller, determining a current vehicle driving mode based on the input vehicle driving information by the controller, determining a virtual engine speed in the determined vehicle driving mode using the vehicle driving information by the controller, outputting a control signal for virtualizing characteristics of an internal-combustion-engine (ICE) driving system corresponding to a current vehicle driving mode based on the determined virtual engine speed by the controller, and virtualizing the characteristics of the ICE driving system corresponding to the current vehicle driving mode by controlling an operation of a virtualization device according to the output control signal by the controller.

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.