A vehicle controller includes: a prediction unit that acquires position information on a parking place where parking time is predicted to exceed a prescribed threshold value in a travel route of the hybrid vehicle; and a target setting unit that sets a target state of charge of the battery and to change setting of the target state of charge from a first state of charge to a second state of charge that is lower than the first state of charge when the hybrid vehicle satisfies an approach condition to the parking place. A charge and discharge amount of the battery when the state of charge of the battery becomes equal to or less than the second state of charge is controlled to be smaller than the charge and discharge amount of the battery when the state of charge of the battery is larger than the second state of charge.

A multi-layer control mechanism for optimizing performance metrics of a hybrid electric vehicle (e.g., fuel efficiency, drivability, NVH). A first layer generates a policy that defines target engine & motor operating settings for each of a plurality of possible driver demand inputs based on a predicted driver demand profile for a long-horizon period of time. A second layer determines a predicted “short-horizon” driver demand—based, for example, on historical driver data and one or more environmental sensor inputs—and applies a corrective pre-adjustment to the operating settings of the vehicle in response to determining that a pre-adjustment is required in order to apply the target operating settings for the predicted driver demand. A third layer determines constraints to the operating settings required to comply with the additional performance parameters and limits the operating settings applied to the engine and motor(s) to feasible operating settings defined by the constraints.

A control apparatus for controlling a vehicle includes a driving motor configured to drive the vehicle by outputting motor torque based on a supply voltage from a battery, and an engine configured to drive the vehicle by outputting engine torque. The control apparatus may acquire driving mode data which is calculated based on traffic information from the current position to the destination of the vehicle and dimension information of the vehicle, and control the vehicle to drive to the destination according to a driving mode which is determined by applying a travelling condition of the vehicle to the acquired driving mode data, where the power distribution ratio of the motor torque to the engine torque is reflected in the driving mode data.

A control device is configured to set a target state of charge of a battery and control an internal combustion engine and rotating electrical machine and the charging and discharging of the battery to make the hybrid vehicle run so that the battery state of charge becomes the target state of charge. The control device is further configured to set the target state of charge based on a remaining distance or required time from a current position up to a restricted zone in which operation of the internal combustion engine is restricted and a grace period from a current time to a time at which the restriction of operation of the internal combustion engine in the restricted zone is started.

Controlled clutchless shifting of multi-ratio geared electronic shift transmissions coupled directly to the electrical prime mover of a vehicle are disclosed. The adaptive control of electrically shifted manual transmissions incorporated into power-split series electric hybrid heavy vehicles operating over heavy duty drive cycles utilizes a direct coupling assembly that enables bi-directional energy transfer and power transport. An electronic shift transmission provides power amplifying or de-amplifying bi-directional intelligently controlled valve or pathway for available terrain potential or kinetic energy of a rolling mass of a vehicle, while retaining the original function of a transmission by increasing or decreasing mechanical rotating energy of the propulsion power to the rear wheels of a vehicle.

The operation of a hybrid powertrain system is optimized with respect to a desired state-of-charge trajectory, taking account of the estimated anticipated vehicle drive power. The hybrid powertrain system has an internal combustion engine and an electrically operated torque machine. The internal combustion engine and the torque machine are controlled by a control device and are connected to an output element via a hybrid transmission. Before the start of the prediction period Δt, an experience-based state-of-charge trajectory for the anticipated route, covering at least the prediction period Δt, is retrieved from an external database. The desired state-of-charge trajectory is established based on the experience-based state-of-charge trajectory by modifying it with at least one optimization constraint. The experience-based state-of-charge trajectory can be established based on operating data from hybrid powertrain systems of multiple vehicles and/or from operating data from multiple comparable journeys with the same vehicle.

Methods and systems are described for a hybrid vehicle with a passive prechamber combustion engine. The system includes a passive prechamber combustion engine, an electric motor, and a controller communicatively coupled to the combustion engine and the electric motor. The combustion engine is configured to operate at engine loads satisfying a load threshold. The controller is configured to determine whether an engine load falls below the load threshold. The controller is configured to select the electric motor to propel the vehicle. The controller is configured to determine whether the engine load satisfies the load threshold. The controller is configured to select the combustion engine to propel the vehicle for providing efficient fuel consumption associated with prechamber ignition in response to determining that the engine load satisfies the load threshold.

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 includes: a low voltage battery constituted by a lithium-ion battery, the low voltage battery supplying an electric power to an electric component mounted to a vehicle; a high voltage battery constituted by a lithium-ion battery, the high voltage battery having an output voltage higher than an output voltage of the low voltage battery; a first rotating electrical machine that operates by an electric power supplied from the high voltage battery, the first rotating electrical machine generating a torque for driving the vehicle; and a second rotating electrical machine for starting the engine. The second rotating electrical machine operates by an electric power supplied from the high voltage battery.

The control device of a vehicle includes a position estimating part configured to estimate a position of the vehicle, and a power output part configured to control the internal combustion engine and the electric motor to output power for running use. The power output part is configured to determine a startup position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits from a low emission zone requesting the internal combustion engine be stopped so that startup positions of internal combustion engines of a plurality of vehicles are dispersed at surroundings of the low emission zone.