A hybrid electric vehicle capable of starting an engine in the event of failure of a DC-DC converter and a method of controlling the hybrid electric vehicle are provided. The hybrid electric vehicle includes a driving motor, an engine, and a first relay that starts a starter. A second relay is disposed between a first power line, connected the starter and a first battery, and second power line, connects a DC-DC converter that converts the power of a second battery and an electric load. A controller selectively adjusts the states of the first relay and the second relay. Upon determining starting of the engine and detecting failure of the DC-DC converter, the controller maintains the on state of the second relay and turns on the first relay to perform cranking of the engine.

A hybrid electric/combustion propulsion/electric generator apparatus comprising: a driven shaft mating mechanism; a hub mating mechanism; an electric machine operable as an electric motor or generator, comprising a rotor comprising a drum; a clutch mechanism, comprising first and second mating mechanisms, axially slidable and engaged with the drum/rotor; and a selection mechanism for sliding the clutch mechanism into a start position (wherein the electric motor can rotate the centrifugal clutch to rotate the driving shaft), a neutral position (wherein rotation of the drum/rotor operates the electric machine as the generator), or a drive position, wherein the apparatus is operable in either a pure electric drive mode (electric motor drives the driven shaft clockwise or counter clockwise while the centrifugal clutch is disengaged), or a hybrid drive mode (engine and electric motor drive the driven shaft) or a propulsion/generation mode (engine drives the driven shaft and generator produces electricity).

The invention relates to a method for starting an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle, where an electric motor of the hybrid vehicle is accelerated to a predetermined engine speed and a hybrid disconnect clutch, which is arranged between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, is moved in the closing direction depending on the set-point clutch torque. In a method which safeguards a high reproducibility of the restart operation, the set-point clutch torque for restarting the internal combustion engine is determined depending on an engine switch-off position of the internal combustion engine in a first phase in which the internal combustion engine is not running.

A hybrid rear axle provides a variety of functionality in addition to the functionality of a non-hybrid axle. The axle transmits power from an electric motor to the drive wheels at two selectable speed ratios to propel the vehicle. One of the two ratios is usable to propel the vehicle electrically with the engine stopped. With the drive wheels stationary, the axle transmits power from the driveshaft to the motor to charge a battery or from the motor to the driveshaft to start the engine.

There is provided a hybrid vehicle that suppresses the driver from feeling slow. At the time of a predetermined request that requires fuel injection of an engine in the state of motoring the engine under fuel cutting by a first motor at a rotation speed that is higher than an upper limit rotation speed during fuel injection of the engine, the hybrid vehicle waits until the rotation speed of the engine becomes equal to or lower than the upper limit rotation speed and then starts fuel injection of the engine. At the time of the predetermined request, the hybrid vehicle causes the rotation speed of the engine to be decreased by the first motor until the rotation speed of the engine becomes equal to or lower than the upper limit rotation speed.

A control method and apparatus of a hybrid vehicle are provided. The control method includes determining whether the speed of a motor exceeds a first threshold value, when supply of power to a battery is cut off and thus the hybrid vehicle is driven by an engine. The speed is then adjusted to be the first threshold value or less, when the speed exceeds the first threshold value.

A vehicle includes an engine including a crank shaft; a battery; a belt-integrated starter generator (BISG) mechanically coupled to the crank shaft and configured to generate electric power from motion of the engine to charge the battery; and a controller configured to operate the BISG to apply a load to the crank shaft to slow the engine and capture electric power for storage in the battery, wherein an initial magnitude of the load is proportional to a temperature of the engine, responsive to a speed of the BISG or engine achieving a predetermined non-zero threshold, remove the load from the crank shaft, and bring the engine to a stop.

An engine electronic control unit of a hybrid vehicle is configured to execute in-abnormality starting control for starting an engine when the engine is cranked in a state where abnormality occurs to communication between the engine electronic control unit and a hybrid electronic control unit. The hybrid electronic control unit is configured to execute in-abnormality cranking control for controlling the first motor such that the engine is cranked when the abnormality occurs to the communication between the engine electronic control unit and the hybrid electronic control unit. In addition, the hybrid electronic control unit is configured to execute in-abnormality electric travel control for controlling the second motor such that the hybrid vehicle travels only by power from the second motor when the in-abnormality cranking control is executed but the engine is not started.

An engine clutch control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes an engine clutch that is disposed between an engine and a drive motor to selectively connect the engine and the drive motor and an integrated starter-generator that is connected with the engine to start the engine or to generate electricity. A vehicle controller releases or couples the engine clutch to implement a driving mode and determines a chargeable torque and an engine target estimation torque based on a generator rotation speed of the integrated starter-generator. An engine target torque and a charge torque are set based on the chargeable torque and a clutch input torque is generated using at least one of the engine target torque, an engine friction torque, and the charge torque. The engine clutch is then released when the clutch input torque is less than a reference value.

A method for remotely controlling the operation of a gas powered golf car, wherein the method comprises, via a global positioning system enhanced fleet management system (GPSEFMS) of the golf car communicatively connected with an internal combustion engine control unit (ECU) and a global position sensor of the golf car: monitoring a location of the golf car as the golf car is moving utilizing geospatial position data communicated from a global position sensor of the golf car to the GPSEFMS; determining when the golf car is one of near or within a geofenced area; and sending control commands to the ECU instructing the ECU to modify operation of the internal combustion engine, and hence operation of the golf car, in accordance with a predetermined operation profile specific to the geofenced area.