Methods and systems are provided for controlling a distribution between engine and motor torques for a hybrid electric vehicle operating in a creep mode of operation in response to an engine start request. In one example, responsive to a request to start an engine while a vehicle is being propelled at a predetermined wheel creep torque via an electric motor positioned downstream of a transmission and a torque converter, coordinating an electric motor torque and an engine torque in one of a first mode, second mode, or a third mode depending on whether the electric motor can continue to provide the predetermined wheel creep torque. In this way, engine idle speed may be minimized depending on vehicle operating conditions, which may improve fuel economy.

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine that drives first wheel, and a motor that drives second wheel. The hybrid vehicle includes (1) a minute speed launch support mode where the hybrid vehicle is driven only by the motor as a drive source, (2) a sudden launch support mode where the hybrid vehicle is driven by the engine and motor as the drive source, and (3) a smooth launch support mode where the hybrid vehicle is driven only by the motor as the drive source in an early stage, is driven by the engine and motor in a middle stage, and is driven only by the engine in a late stage, and if an operation amount of an acceleration instruction unit is not 0 or is substantially not 0, any one of the support modes is executed according to an operation status of the acceleration instruction unit.

A vehicle control device includes a control unit. In a state where a first electric motor generates electricity by rotating an internal combustion engine and a target driving force is decided based on an operation for an accelerator pedal, the control unit performs a first driving control in which driving of a vehicle by a first driving force, which is a driving force of a first driving device including the internal combustion engine and the first electric motor, is prioritized. In a state where the first electric motor generates electricity by rotating the internal combustion engine and the target driving force is decided without being based on the operation for the accelerator pedal, the control unit performs a second driving control in which driving of the vehicle by a second driving force, which is a driving force of a second driving device including a second electric motor, is prioritized.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling vehicle torque output during cruise control. In one example, a method may include determining future vehicle torque output by minimizing an objective function based on an instantaneous vehicle speed, an average vehicle speed, and a present vehicle torque output. The weights of the objective function may be updated based on the past and the present vehicle operating parameters.

A drive force control system for a vehicle configured to change a torque to propel a vehicle certainly in a required amount by controlling output torques of an engine and a motor. A controller is configured to: calculate a required amount of change in synthesized torque of an engine torque and a motor torque; calculate a required amount of change in the engine torque and a required amount of change in the motor torque based on the required amount of change in the synthesized torque; select one of the engine and the motor whose torque will be changed further than a limit value; and adjust the torque of the selected prime mover by a counter torque.

To provide a vehicle drive device capable of efficiently driving a vehicle by using in-wheel motors without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motors and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device that uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the travel speed of a vehicle, in-wheel motors that are provided in wheels of the vehicle and drive the wheels, and a controller that controls the in-wheel motors, in which the controller controls the in-wheel motors so as to generate driving forces when the travel speed of the vehicle detected by the vehicle speed sensor is equal to or more than a predetermined first vehicle speed that is more than zero.

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 truck, a tractor unit, a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, at a tandem, 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 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 truck, a tractor unit, a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, at a tandem, 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.

To provide a vehicle drive device capable of effectively driving a vehicle by using in-wheel motors without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motors and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device that uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes in-wheel motors (20) that are provided in wheels (2b) of a vehicle (1) and drive the wheels, a body side motor (16) that is provided in a body of the vehicle and drives the wheels of the vehicle, and a battery (18) and a capacitor (22) that supply electric power for driving the in-wheel motors and/or the body side motor, in which a voltage of the battery is applied to the body side motor and a voltage of the battery and the capacitor connected in series is applied to the in-wheel motors.

A vehicle drive device uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes in-wheel motors that are provided in wheels of a vehicle and drive the wheels, a body side motor that is provided in a body of the vehicle and drives the wheels, and a controller that controls the in-wheel motors and the body side motor based on requested output power of a driver, in which the controller causes the body side motor to generate a driving force and the in-wheel motors not to generate driving forces when the requested output power of the driver is less than predetermined output power and the controller causes the body side motor and the in-wheel motors to generate driving forces when the requested output power of the driver is equal to or more than the predetermined output power.