Systems and methods described herein relate to managing the freshness of the fuel in a vehicle. One embodiment tracks a freshness level of the fuel in the vehicle as time passes; determines a fuel consumption plan based, at least in part, on a predetermined refueling schedule for the vehicle and the freshness level of the fuel in the vehicle; and activates an internal combustion engine of the vehicle automatically on one or more occasions in accordance with the fuel consumption plan to consume at least a portion of the fuel.

An electrical power supply device configured to interface with a start-stop controller within a vehicle includes a DC-DC power convertor receiving an input voltage and producing a first output voltage or a second output voltage that is less than the first output voltage and a device controller in communication with the DC-DC power convertor. The device controller has one or more processors and memory. The memory includes instructions which causes the device controller to command the DC-DC power convertor to output the first output voltage when the device controller receives a run signal from the start-stop controller or detects that the input voltage is above a voltage threshold or output the second output voltage when the device controller receives a stop signal from the start-stop controller or detects that the input voltage is below a voltage threshold. A method of operating the electrical power supply device is also presented.

A method for operating a drive device for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine and a dual clutch transmission. In a starting operation of the drive device directed at a startup of the motor vehicle, an electric machine coupled to a first input shaft is used, when the first shift clutch is at least partially engaged and the first sub-transmission is disengaged and when the second shift clutch is at least partially engaged and the second sub-transmission is engaged, for providing at the output shaft a starting torque used for starting the internal combustion engine and a drive torque directed at the startup of the motor vehicle, and/or in that, in the starting operation, the internal combustion engine is operated, when the second shift clutch is at least partially engaged and the second sub-transmission is engaged.

Systems and methods for improving operation of a vehicle are presented. In one example, a minimum battery state of charge (SOC) threshold for automatic engine stopping is adjusted responsive to a temperature of a battery. An engine of the vehicle may be automatically started responsive to a battery SOC discharge amount that is greater than a threshold. The approach may allow a battery to discharge a greater number of times so that battery life may be extended.

A transmission assembly including a clutch system, an accumulator, and a controller is provided. The clutch system may include a flow source. The accumulator may be selectively in communication with the flow source via a solenoid valve. The controller may be programmed to, responsive to detection of a vehicle stop and the accumulator charged below a predetermined threshold, output a command to open the solenoid valve to rapidly charge the accumulator from the flow source. The predetermined threshold may be an accumulator pressure between 700 kPa and 900 kPa. The controller may be further programmed to, responsive to detection of the accumulator being charged to or above the predetermined threshold, output a shut down command to an engine in communication with the transmission assembly and to output a close command to the solenoid valve. The flow source may be a pump out circuit or a line pressure circuit.

An embodiment relates to a method for predicting a voltage dip in a vehicle electrical system before a planned start of a load in a motor vehicle. The embodiment operates to ascertain a value of supply current expected to be required after the start of the load. An electrical voltage source and an energy store connected in parallel to a voltage source via the vehicle electrical system provide the supply current for operating the load. The energy store blocks a charge current into the energy store or blocks a discharge current out of the energy store based on a vehicle electrical system voltage of the vehicle electrical system being greater than a maximum value. Based on an instantaneous value of the vehicle electrical system voltage, the embodiment further ascertains a proportion of the supply current that the voltage source generates as a source current without the energy store until the vehicle electrical system voltage has fallen to the maximum value.

A control apparatus of a vehicle that is provided with a drive wheel, a drive unit configured to generate, on a basis of a torque command, power directed to running, and a power transmitter configured to transmit the power derived from the drive unit to the drive wheel. The control apparatus is mounted on the vehicle and includes a resonance controller and a resonance switcher. The resonance controller is configured to output the torque command, and control resonance of the power transmitter by utilizing the torque command. The resonance switcher is configured to switch a state of the resonance controller between a resonance-restraining state that restrains the resonance and a resonance-generating state that generates the resonance.

At a cold start of an engine, a hybrid vehicle is configured to perform first cranking control that controls a starter and an electric power transmission device, such that the engine is cranked by the starter using electric power from a first power storage device and a second power storage device, or to perform second cranking control that controls a motor generator and the electric power transmission device, such that the engine is cranked by the motor generator using the electric power from the first power storage device and the second power storage device.

Systems and methods for starting an engine that is incorporated into a hybrid vehicle driveline are described. In one example, a torque converter clutch is fully opened if a threshold amount has transpired after a request for torque converter clutch slip is requested but not delivered. Further, the torque converter clutch may be fully opened if a commanded torque converter clutch torque capacity is less than a threshold torque capacity.

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a motor generator, a main battery, a DC-DC converter, a sub-battery, a starter, and an electronic control unit. The DC-DC converter is a bidirectional converter configured to convert a voltage of electric power from the sub-battery and output the electric power to the motor generator. The electronic control unit is configured to control the DC-DC converter such that the sub-battery outputs electric power to the motor generator when a first available electrical energy of the main battery is smaller than a required electrical energy at the time when the engine is started with the use of the motor generator.