A method of preheating a hybrid vehicle including storing reserve coolant in an insulated reservoir fluidly coupled to a coolant circuit of an engine of the hybrid vehicle; powering a fluid pump fluidly coupled to the coolant circuit with a power source external to the hybrid vehicle; pumping line coolant through the coolant circuit with the fluid pump; powering a heater thermally coupled to the coolant circuit with the power source external to the hybrid vehicle; heating the line coolant with the heater as the line coolant is pumped through the coolant circuit to increase a temperature of the line coolant; and mixing the line coolant with the reserve coolant to accelerate preheating of at least the engine of the hybrid vehicle.

A method of preheating a hybrid vehicle including storing reserve coolant in an insulated reservoir fluidly coupled to a coolant circuit of an engine of the hybrid vehicle; powering a fluid pump fluidly coupled to the coolant circuit with a power source external to the hybrid vehicle; pumping line coolant through the coolant circuit with the fluid pump; powering a heater thermally coupled to the coolant circuit with the power source external to the hybrid vehicle; heating the line coolant with the heater as the line coolant is pumped through the coolant circuit to increase a temperature of the line coolant; and mixing the line coolant with the reserve coolant to accelerate preheating of at least the engine of the hybrid vehicle.

Control apparatus for internal combustion engine in which alcohol fuel can be used includes: acquisition unit for acquiring alcohol concentration of fuel; electric motor for driving internal combustion engine; and a control unit configured to control the internal combustion engine and the electric motor. The control unit is configured, when the running time from a low-temperature start to the stoppage of the internal combustion engine or a parameter increasing with an increase of the running time is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, to cause, after the stoppage of the internal combustion engine, the electric motor to subject the internal combustion engine to motoring and to set the motoring time of the motoring to be shorter when a fuel alcohol concentration acquired by the acquisition unit is relatively high compared to when a fuel alcohol concentration acquired by the acquisition unit relatively is low.

A method for heating a catalyst includes maintaining engine speed at a high rpm when the engine is started. The high rpm is maintained even if the driver shifts the transmission out of neutral. Engine speed is lowered when there is an indication that the driver wishes to drive off, such as the driver releasing the brake pedal. Maintaining the high rpm during the time between shifting the transmission out of neutral and providing an indication that drive off is desired contributes to additional catalyst warm up. The high rpm may be disabled if the catalyst temperature is sufficiently high or if the vehicle is parked on a slope, for example.

A method for heating a catalyst includes maintaining engine speed at a high rpm when the engine is started. The high rpm is maintained even if the driver shifts the transmission out of neutral. Engine speed is lowered when there is an indication that the driver wishes to drive off, such as the driver releasing the brake pedal. Maintaining the high rpm during the time between shifting the transmission out of neutral and providing an indication that drive off is desired contributes to additional catalyst warm up. The high rpm may be disabled if the catalyst temperature is sufficiently high or if the vehicle is parked on a slope, for example.

A control device of a vehicle includes an engine, an electric motor, and a first clutch connecting/disconnecting a power transmission path between the engine and the electric motor, and a second clutch configured to achieve a mechanically directly-coupled state of a power transmission path between the engine/the electric motor and drive wheels, the control device of a vehicle increasing a torque of the electric motor and causing the second clutch to slip-engage when the engine is started by controlling the first clutch toward engagement during motor running using only the electric motor as a drive force source for running with the first clutch released and the second clutch engaged, when the torque of the electric motor increased at the start of the engine relative to the torque of the electric motor during the motor running is larger, a slip amount of the second clutch being made larger as compared to when the torque is smaller.

Methods and system are provided to select a battery control strategy for a hybrid battery of a hybrid electric vehicle. The methods comprise receiving forecast weather information at a first location, determining an operational parameter of the hybrid battery, and selecting a first battery control strategy based on the forecast weather information and the operational parameter of the hybrid battery, wherein the control strategy comprises a state of charge target for the hybrid battery required for a next start sequence.

A hybrid vehicle includes a generator capable of generating and supplying power to a battery; a drive motor that drives driving wheels of the hybrid vehicle with power supplied from the battery or power generated by the generator, an internal combustion engine that drives the generator; and a first exhaust purification device for exhaust purification arranged in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine. The hybrid vehicle is configured to perform catalyst temperature rise control to retard an ignition timing of the internal combustion engine when a temperature of the first exhaust purification device is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature level. In the catalyst temperature rise control, a retardation amount of the ignition timing in a state where the hybrid vehicle experiences more vibration than in a stop state of the hybrid vehicle is set larger than that in the stop state of the hybrid vehicle.

A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor, a starter, a friction engagement element provided between the engine and the motor, and a mechanical oil pump which is driven by the motor and supplies oil to the friction engagement element, is provided. When the friction engagement element is in a disengaged state, a first traveling mode using the motor is performed. When it is in an engaged state, a second traveling mode at least using the engine is performed. The method includes, when the first traveling mode is unperformable, starting the engine by the starter to perform the second traveling mode, activating the motor and performing a hydraulic pressure control for shifting the friction engagement element from the disengaged to engaged state after starting the engine. The hydraulic pressure control uses at least the hydraulic pressure from the mechanical oil pump driven by activating the motor.

A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor, a starter, a friction engagement element provided between the engine and the motor, and a mechanical oil pump which is driven by the motor and supplies oil to the friction engagement element, is provided. When the friction engagement element is in a disengaged state, a first traveling mode using the motor is performed. When it is in an engaged state, a second traveling mode at least using the engine is performed. The method includes, when the first traveling mode is unperformable, starting the engine by the starter to perform the second traveling mode, activating the motor and performing a hydraulic pressure control for shifting the friction engagement element from the disengaged to engaged state after starting the engine. The hydraulic pressure control uses at least the hydraulic pressure from the mechanical oil pump driven by activating the motor.