A method of operating a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes: an engine; a throttle operator moveable by a driver; a throttle valve regulating airflow to the engine; a continuously variable transmission (CVT) operatively connected to the engine; at least one ground engaging member including at least one of: a wheel and a track; a piston operatively connected to a driving pulley of the CVT for applying a piston force to the driving pulley when actuated and thereby changing an effective diameter of the driving pulley; and a control unit for controlling actuation of the piston and the piston force. The method includes: determining a driven pulley speed of a driven pulley of the CVT; detecting an uphill stand condition indicative of the vehicle being stopped on an uphill; responsive to the detection of the uphill stand condition, controlling the piston force based on the driven pulley speed.

An engine start controller for a hybrid vehicle and a method thereof are provided. The engine start controller includes a hybrid starter generator (HSG) that is connected to an engine by a belt, a sensor that is configured to measure an HSG speed, and a processor that applies a starting torque to the HSG. When starting the engine, the processor calculates an HSG speed estimated based on the applied starting torque and calculates an amount of slip of the belt using the HSG speed. In addition, the processor calculates a torque change rate correction value based on the calculated amount of slip, and corrects a rate of change rate in the starting torque based on the torque change rate correction value.

An engine start controller for a hybrid vehicle and a method thereof are provided. The engine start controller includes a hybrid starter generator (HSG) that is connected to an engine by a belt, a sensor that is configured to measure an HSG speed, and a processor that applies a starting torque to the HSG. When starting the engine, the processor calculates an HSG speed estimated based on the applied starting torque and calculates an amount of slip of the belt using the HSG speed. In addition, the processor calculates a torque change rate correction value based on the calculated amount of slip, and corrects a rate of change rate in the starting torque based on the torque change rate correction value.

A controller includes a control unit which is configured to execute a coast stop control. The coast stop control is configured to perform automatic stopping of the drive source while the vehicle is traveling, when a permitting condition is satisfied, the permitting condition including a condition that a speed ratio R of the variator is lower than a first threshold R1 while the lock-up clutch is in an engaged phase. The control unit is configured to prohibit execution of the coast stop control in a case in which an input-output rotation speed difference of the torque converter is equal to or more than a predetermined value when the lock-up clutch is in the engaged phase.

A controller includes a control unit which is configured to execute a coast stop control. The coast stop control is configured to perform automatic stopping of the drive source while the vehicle is traveling, when a permitting condition is satisfied, the permitting condition including a condition that a speed ratio R of the variator is lower than a first threshold R1 while the lock-up clutch is in an engaged phase. The control unit is configured to prohibit execution of the coast stop control in a case in which an input-output rotation speed difference of the torque converter is equal to or more than a predetermined value when the lock-up clutch is in the engaged phase.

An acceleration method for a hybrid drivetrain includes providing the hybrid drivetrain, setting an initial torque transmission ratio of a belt-drive transmission to a lower transmission ratio, and opening a first disconnect clutch to interrupt torque transmission between an internal combustion engine and an electric machine. The method also includes receiving an acceleration command, shifting the torque transmission ratio with a transmission adjustment gradient from the lower transmission ratio towards an upper transmission ratio, increasing a rotor speed of a rotor shaft of the electric machine with a rotor shaft adjustment gradient, and engaging a first disconnect clutch to rotate an ICE shaft to start the internal combustion engine and increase a rotational speed of the ICE shaft towards a current rotor speed.

An acceleration method for a hybrid drivetrain includes providing the hybrid drivetrain, setting an initial torque transmission ratio of a belt-drive transmission to a lower transmission ratio, and opening a first disconnect clutch to interrupt torque transmission between an internal combustion engine and an electric machine. The method also includes receiving an acceleration command, shifting the torque transmission ratio with a transmission adjustment gradient from the lower transmission ratio towards an upper transmission ratio, increasing a rotor speed of a rotor shaft of the electric machine with a rotor shaft adjustment gradient, and engaging a first disconnect clutch to rotate an ICE shaft to start the internal combustion engine and increase a rotational speed of the ICE shaft towards a current rotor speed.

As a driving source, an engine and an assist motor are provided. An engine control module includes a torque assist control unit for controlling the assist motor by a plurality of types of switching patterns having different torque assist levels. A CVT control unit includes a torque assist coordination control unit that, when a torque assist request is input from the torque assist control unit, carries out the control that increases commanded hydraulic pressure so as to increase the hydraulic pressure of hydraulically operated members. When carrying out the control that increases the commanded hydraulic pressure, the torque assist coordination control unit unifies the levels of the commanded hydraulic pressure regardless of the types of the switching patterns.

A vehicle control apparatus includes a controller that selects an electric vehicle (EV) mode where an output clutch is disengaged and a wheel is driven by a motor, or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) mode where the output clutch is engaged and the wheel is driven by an engine and the motor. The controller engages the output clutch during the EV mode to adjust a gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission, and switches, in accordance with a battery state, an adjustment mode for the gear ratio, during the EV mode, between a first adjustment mode that allows the gear ratio to be adjusted in accordance with a vehicle speed, and a second adjustment mode that allows the gear ratio to be adjusted to and kept at a reference gear ratio smaller than a lowest speed gear ratio regardless of the vehicle speed.

A vehicle control apparatus includes a controller that selects an electric vehicle (EV) mode where an output clutch is disengaged and a wheel is driven by a motor, or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) mode where the output clutch is engaged and the wheel is driven by an engine and the motor. The controller engages the output clutch during the EV mode to adjust a gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission, and switches, in accordance with a battery state, an adjustment mode for the gear ratio, during the EV mode, between a first adjustment mode that allows the gear ratio to be adjusted in accordance with a vehicle speed, and a second adjustment mode that allows the gear ratio to be adjusted to and kept at a reference gear ratio smaller than a lowest speed gear ratio regardless of the vehicle speed.