An electronic control unit performs a control process including a step of setting a second learning time shorter than a first learning time when a Charge Sustaining mode is not selected, a step of setting enlarged values as upper and lower limit values of a feedback value, a step of switching an engine stop prohibition flag to an ON state when a learning start condition is satisfied, a step of performing learning control, a step of performing an update process when the set learning time elapses, and a step of turning off the engine stop prohibition flag.

Provided are a power generation control method for a vehicle configured to perform idling stop at a predetermined vehicle speed or less by a stop/start system, the vehicle including: a power generator configured to be driven by an internal combustion engine to generate power; and a battery to be charged by the power generated by the power generator, the power being generated in the vehicle under control so as to reduce an amount of fuel to be consumed by the internal combustion engine for power generation, the power generation control method including: detecting a charged and discharged state of the battery; and controlling the internal combustion engine to interrupt power generation involving fuel consumption when a charged state of the battery has recovered to a charged state before the idling stop through charging after the idling stop in accordance with the detected charged and discharged state.

A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.

A vehicle drive system includes an internal combustion engine, a clutch, an engine rotation speed detector, an output shaft rotation speed detector, and a processor. The internal combustion engine includes cylinders and a crankshaft. The clutch is connected to the crankshaft via a torsion element and includes an output shaft. The engine rotation speed detector detects a crankshaft rotation speed. The output shaft rotation speed detector detects an output shaft rotation speed. The processor is configured to calculate a torque generated in each of the cylinders based on the crankshaft rotation speed. The processor is configured to decrease transmission torque of the clutch so that a difference between the crankshaft rotation speed and the output shaft rotation speed to be a target value when misfiring occurs. The processor is configured to identify a misfiring cylinder among the cylinders based on the torque calculated while the transmission torque is decreased.

A drive device for a motor vehicle, having an internal combustion engine that outputs to a gearbox or transmission. A plurality of gear ratios steps provides shiftable driving gears from a starting gear to a highest driving gear. The gearbox has at least one gear ratio step that provides an overrun gear, which cannot be engaged in the traction mode, but only in an overrun mode, in which the vehicle drags the internal combustion engine.

A control system (208) for enabling deactivation of vehicle creep in a vehicle (10) with an engine (202), the control system (208) comprising one or more controllers (300), wherein the control system (208) is configured to: enable vehicle creep (402) so that wheel drive torque can reach a first value greater than zero without a driver load request and without a brake request, wherein enabling vehicle creep comprises the engine (202) being active while connected to a vehicle wheel (FL, FR); monitor for a vehicle creep deactivation signal (404); and in response to the vehicle creep deactivation signal (404), inhibit vehicle creep (412) so that wheel drive torque cannot reach the first value without a driver load request, and wherein inhibiting vehicle creep comprises causing disconnection (414) of the engine (202), at least in part, from the vehicle wheel (FL, FR).

Methods and systems are provided for operating a hybrid vehicle during launch conditions from rest. In one example, a threshold speed below which a clutch is closed during a vehicle launch is adjusted so that driver demand wheel torque is held constant for a constant accelerator pedal position until the clutch is closed.

Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, activating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while the UVGI system may supplement the heat sanitizing.

A method of controlling heating of a hybrid electric vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving a heating request from a driver; determining whether an entry condition of pre-FATC engine ON request (PFEOR) control is satisfied; checking whether the vehicle is capable of entering a HEV mode; determining whether the vehicle enters an idle mode for the PFEOR control; issuing a command for a target engine torque value and a target revolutions per minute for the idle mode to an engine control unit (ECU) from a hybrid control unit (HCU); and performing an engine idle speed control along with engine ON based on the command.

A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.