A vehicle includes an engine, a motor selectively coupled to the engine, a transmission selectively coupled to the motor, and a controller. The motor is able to operate as a motor (to provide torque to the transmission) and a generator (to charge a battery). In one mode, the controller can command the engine to both propel the vehicle and provide torque to the motor to charge the battery. The controller estimates the maximum available engine torque in the current gear and maintains the vehicle in the current gear of the transmission. And, the controller commands the motor to charge the battery by a magnitude based on the difference between driver demanded torque and an estimated maximum available engine torque in a current gear of the transmission. This allows the engine to operate at (or near) its maximum torque output to fulfill driver demands and charge the battery while inhibiting downshifting.

An electronic control unit is configured to: i) calculate a restriction target value of input electric current to a battery depending on detection value of a current sensor, in a charge control of charging the battery such that charging electric power to the battery is below a permissible value, ii) calculate voltage value of the battery when the battery is charged based on the restriction target value, in a case where the detection value exceeds the restriction target value, iii) calculate a basic permissible value of the charging electric power to the battery, from the restriction target value and the voltage value, and iv) set a regeneration restriction rate to a higher value, as a difference value between the restriction target value and the detection value increases, or as at least one of vehicle speed and the charging electric power when the detection value exceeds the restriction target value increases.

Systems and methods for operating a vehicle in an electric idle mode are presented. The vehicle electrical idle mode may be characterized as a mode where the vehicle's engine is off; the vehicle increases torque to vehicle wheels responsive to an application of an accelerator pedal, release of a brake pedal, or a vehicle occupant shifting a transmission; and the vehicle's battery supplies electrical energy to devices of the vehicle being operated by a vehicle occupant.

An electronic control unit executes navigation-cooperative SOC control in which traveling situations on a traveling route found through a search performed by a navigation system are predicted and a state-of-charge is controlled by adjusting an output of an engine based on the predicted traveling situations to control charging-discharging of an electricity storage device. The ECU does not execute the navigation-cooperative SOC control when a temperature of the electricity storage device falls below a prescribed temperature and thus charging-discharging of the electricity storage device is limited.

A motive power system includes a first energy storage, a second energy storage, an actuator, an internal combustion engine, a power transmission circuit, and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to control the power transmission circuit in a charge-depleting mode such that the first energy storage supplies to the actuator a first electric energy that is stored in the first energy storage with a first charge rate range and the second energy storage supplies to the actuator a second electric energy that is stored in the second energy storage with a second charge rate range. The first charge rate range is larger than the second charge rate range.

An auto stop-start equipped vehicle power management system includes a primary power source supplying energy to an electrical starter to crank a vehicle engine and a secondary power source coupled in parallel to the primary power source. The secondary power source supplies energy to electric loads during an engine auto stop-start operation. The electrical loads maintain vehicle subsystem functionality during the engine auto stop-start operation. The energy supplied to the electrical loads is current limited during the engine auto stop-start operation. A controllable switch decouples the secondary power source from the primary power source and starter motor during the engine auto stop-start operation. Operating parameters of the electrical loads are monitored during the engine auto stop-start operation. If a respective operating parameter threshold associated with the electrical loads is exceeded during the engine auto stop-start operation, then the vehicle engine is automatically restarted and the controllable switch is subsequently closed.

A control system for a hybrid vehicle configured to avoid a sudden and significant reduction in a drive torque generated by a motor during high load operation. A controller comprises a determiner that determines a satisfaction of a predetermined condition, and a power limiter that restricts an upper limit of an output power of an electric storage device supplied to the motor upon satisfaction of the predetermined condition, to a restricted upper limit value which is smaller than a normal upper limit value set in a case that the predetermined condition is not satisfied.

Systems, methods and apparatus for controlling operation a hybrid powertrain are disclosed that use low power storage and motor/generator components in line haul operations. In one embodiment, a line haul drive cycle includes a low power motor/generator executing a power assistance operation of the hybrid powertrain powered by electricity from a low power storage responsive to a monitoring by a line haul controller of ascensions of the hybrid vehicle at or near a constant speed over an uneven terrain. The line haul drive cycle further includes the low power motor/generator executing a regenerative braking operation of the hybrid powertrain supplying captured electric energy to the low power storage responsive to a monitoring by the line haul controller of descensions of the hybrid vehicle at or near the constant speed over the uneven terrain.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling a cascaded hybrid construction machine system and a method therefor, which apparatus includes: a control part for controlling an electric motor for driving an actuator differently according to whether or not the actuator performs a recovery action and whether or not an energy storage device can be recharged; and a motor driver for driving or stopping the electric motor by switching under the control of the control unit, wherein when the actuator performs a recovery action for both the overcharged state and the failure state of the energy storage device, the motor for driving the actuator is temporarily stopped by the switching of the motor driver so as to restrain the recovery energy generated, thus protecting the hybrid power source system and keeping the operator safe as well as resolving the problem of the working time being increased due to the system's shutting off.

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.