A hybrid vehicle includes: an engine configured to output power for traveling; a motor configured to output power for traveling; a switch configured to set a fuel economy priority mode, in which priority is given to fuel economy, and to cancel the fuel economy priority mode; and a controller configured (a) to operate the engine and the motor based on the switch setting; (b) to determine the presence/absence of degradation of fuel supplied to the engine; and (c) to prohibit setting of the fuel economy priority mode by the switch subsequently when determination is made that the fuel has degraded when the hybrid vehicle travels using power of the motor in a state in which the drive of the engine is stopped.

A hybrid vehicle includes: an engine configured to output power for traveling; a motor configured to output power for traveling; a switch configured to set a fuel economy priority mode, in which priority is given to fuel economy, and to cancel the fuel economy priority mode; and a controller configured (a) to operate the engine and the motor based on the switch setting; (b) to determine the presence/absence of degradation of fuel supplied to the engine; and (c) to prohibit setting of the fuel economy priority mode by the switch subsequently when determination is made that the fuel has degraded when the hybrid vehicle travels using power of the motor in a state in which the drive of the engine is stopped.

A vehicle has an engine, a fuel tank, and a controller configured to selectively operate the engine, during one or more drive cycles, until a specified fraction of fuel from the tank has been consumed in response to expiration of a predefined time period to limit fuel degradation. A powertrain system has a traction battery, an engine, a fuel tank, and a controller configured to selectively operate the engine in response to a quality of fuel in the tank being below a threshold until a specified fraction of fuel has been consumed, thereby limiting fuel degradation. A method of controlling a vehicle includes, in response to expiration of a predefined time period, selectively operating an engine, during one or more vehicle drive cycles, such that state of charge of a traction battery is generally maintained until a specified fraction of fuel in a fuel tank has been consumed to limit degradation of the fuel.

A vehicle has an engine, a fuel tank, and a controller configured to selectively operate the engine, during one or more drive cycles, until a specified fraction of fuel from the tank has been consumed in response to expiration of a predefined time period to limit fuel degradation. A powertrain system has a traction battery, an engine, a fuel tank, and a controller configured to selectively operate the engine in response to a quality of fuel in the tank being below a threshold until a specified fraction of fuel has been consumed, thereby limiting fuel degradation. A method of controlling a vehicle includes, in response to expiration of a predefined time period, selectively operating an engine, during one or more vehicle drive cycles, such that state of charge of a traction battery is generally maintained until a specified fraction of fuel in a fuel tank has been consumed to limit degradation of the fuel.

The present invention provides a hybrid vehicle, including a power battery, a fuel storage tank, an electrical power generation unit, a pressure detection unit and a work mode controller, and adopts a pressure protection mode under the work mode controller, wherein the work mode controller is configured to control the vehicle to enter the pressure protection mode when the electrical power generation unit is in a stop state and when the gas pressure detected by the pressure detection unit is higher than a pressure threshold; and in the pressure protection mode, the electrical power generation unit is started from the stop state to enter the working state to consume the fuel in the fuel storage tank, and the gas pressure in the fuel storage tank is accordingly reduced. As the pressure protection mode is adopted in the present invention, the electrical power generation unit can be automatically started according to the gas pressure of the fuel in the fuel storage tank to charge the power battery using the expanded redundant fuel. The safety problem and the waste resulting from the fact that the expanded fuel exceeding the threshold in the fuel storage tank is discharged into the atmosphere in the prior art are avoided.

A method comprises on board a hybrid vehicle and executed by a vehicle controller on board the hybrid vehicle, determining a pH based on a pH sensor positioned in a fuel system; and in response to a first condition comprising the pH being less than a first threshold pH, disabling an electric motor and propelling the hybrid vehicle with an engine. In this way, a risk of engine degradation due to fuel degradation can be reduced.

An ECU determines whether or not fuel in a fuel tank deteriorates. A heating system is configured to be able to perform heating (engine heating) using heat of an engine which heating uses the engine under operation as a heat source, and heating (heat-pump heating) using a heat pump cycle without using the engine as a heat source. When it is determined that the fuel in the fuel tank deteriorates, the ECU controls the heating system and the engine so as to give priority to the engine heating over the heat-pump heating.

A fuel management system for a hybrid vehicle driven by an electric motor and an internal combustion engine is provided. The system includes a check unit that detects a time in which the internal combustion engine was last operated and stores the detected time as an engine driving point in time. A controller receives the stored engine driving point in time and determines that a fuel remaining in a fuel tank is aged when a time period elapsing from the engine driving point in time reaches a set fuel leaving time period, to operate the internal combustion engine while the hybrid vehicle is driven.

An energy management technique for an electrified vehicle controls an electrified powertrain to maintain a fuel reserve in a fuel tank, wherein the fuel reserve is a threshold amount above a minimum amount of fuel that is kept in the fuel tank while indicating that the fuel tank is fully depleted, detects an operating condition of the electrified vehicle when (i) the fuel tank is depleted down to the fuel reserve and (ii) a battery system state of charge (SOC) is at or below a minimum SOC propulsion threshold and, in response to detecting the electrified vehicle operating condition, temporarily powers the engine using the fuel reserve in the fuel tank and utilize the engine to support a heating system of the electrified vehicle configured for at least window heating and/or defrosting.

An energy management technique for an electrified vehicle controls an electrified powertrain to maintain a fuel reserve in a fuel tank, wherein the fuel reserve is a threshold amount above a minimum amount of fuel that is kept in the fuel tank while indicating that the fuel tank is fully depleted, detects an operating condition of the electrified vehicle when (i) the fuel tank is depleted down to the fuel reserve and (ii) a battery system state of charge (SOC) is at or below a minimum SOC propulsion threshold and, in response to detecting the electrified vehicle operating condition, temporarily powers the engine using the fuel reserve in the fuel tank and utilize the engine to support a heating system of the electrified vehicle configured for at least window heating and/or defrosting.