A communication device acquires schedule information in which a schedule of a user who uses a hybrid electric vehicle is recorded. The schedule information includes a traveling schedule for causing the hybrid electric vehicle to travel in a predetermined period. The predetermined period is a period from when fuel of an engine is refueled to a predetermined deterioration time. When a traveling distance in a long-distance traveling schedule is a first distance, an ECU increases a usage ratio of the engine in the predetermined period than when the traveling distance is a second distance that is longer than the first distance. The long-distance traveling schedule is a schedule included in the traveling schedule and in which the hybrid electric vehicle travels for a predetermined distance or longer.

A communication device acquires schedule information in which a schedule of a user who uses a hybrid electric vehicle is recorded. The schedule information includes a traveling schedule for causing the hybrid electric vehicle to travel in a predetermined period. The predetermined period is a period from when fuel of an engine is refueled to a predetermined deterioration time. When a traveling distance in a long-distance traveling schedule is a first distance, an ECU increases a usage ratio of the engine in the predetermined period than when the traveling distance is a second distance that is longer than the first distance. The long-distance traveling schedule is a schedule included in the traveling schedule and in which the hybrid electric vehicle travels for a predetermined distance or longer.

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.