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 control apparatus for a vehicle controls a hybrid vehicle including a drive motor and an engine, both of which are linked to a driving wheel. The control apparatus includes: a regenerative controller; a fuel injection controller; a clutch controller; a condition satisfaction determiner; and a delay controller. The regenerative controller regeneratively drives the drive motor at the time of decelerating the hybrid vehicle. The fuel injection controller stops a fuel injection at the time of decelerating the hybrid vehicle. The clutch controller releases a clutch that switches a power transmission on and off between the engine and the driving wheel at the time of a regenerative driving by the regenerative controller. The condition satisfaction determiner determines whether execution conditions of diagnoses performed in a fuel cut state in which the clutch is engaged and the fuel injection is stopped are all satisfied.

A control apparatus for a vehicle controls a hybrid vehicle including a drive motor and an engine, both of which are linked to a driving wheel. The control apparatus includes: a regenerative controller; a fuel injection controller; a clutch controller; a condition satisfaction determiner; and a delay controller. The regenerative controller regeneratively drives the drive motor at the time of decelerating the hybrid vehicle. The fuel injection controller stops a fuel injection at the time of decelerating the hybrid vehicle. The clutch controller releases a clutch that switches a power transmission on and off between the engine and the driving wheel at the time of a regenerative driving by the regenerative controller. The condition satisfaction determiner determines whether execution conditions of diagnoses performed in a fuel cut state in which the clutch is engaged and the fuel injection is stopped are all satisfied.

Disclosed are a hybrid electric vehicle which may minimize fuel efficiency loss by shift intervention, and a method of controlling shift thereof. The method of controlling shift of the hybrid electric vehicle includes predicting torque of an input terminal of a transmission at a shift time, predicting an RPM of a motor at the shift time, predicting a quantity of intervention using the predicted torque of the input terminal of the transmission and the predicted RPM of the motor, determining whether or not intervention using the motor alone at the shift time is feasible based on the predicted quantity of intervention, and executing shift corresponding to a result of the determination.

Methods and systems are provided for operating a hybrid vehicle during launch conditions from rest. In one example, a driver demand torque is held constant until a threshold vehicle speed is reached when a constant accelerator pedal position is present so that closing of a transmission input clutch may result in reduced driveline torque disturbances while a desired driver demand torque is delivered.

A hybrid vehicle includes a planetary gear mechanism, a first electric motor, an internal combustion engine, first drive wheels, an inter-element clutch, a second electric motor, and second drive wheels. The planetary gear mechanism is configured to transmit motive power among first to third rotary elements. The first electric motor is coupled to the first rotary element in a power transmittable manner. The internal combustion engine is coupled to the second rotary element in a power transmittable manner. The first drive wheels are coupled to the third rotary element in a power transmittable manner. The inter-element clutch is configured to switch between coupling and uncoupling two of the first to third rotary elements. The second electric motor is configured to perform power running operation using power generated by the first electric motor. The second drive wheels are coupled to the second electric motor in a power transmittable manner.

A vehicular control system for reducing shocks by inhibiting switching operation of a dog clutch when drive force cannot be assisted by an engine. A controller determines that an increase in the drive force by the engine is restricted. In a case that an increase in the drive force is not restricted when launching the vehicle, the controller establishes a first gear stage in the transmission to launch the vehicle, and shift to the second gear stage upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition during propulsion while increasing the drive force. In a case that an increase in the drive force is restricted when launching the vehicle, the controller establishes a second gear stage in the transmission to launch the vehicle.

A vehicular control system for reducing shocks by inhibiting switching operation of a dog clutch when drive force cannot be assisted by an engine. A controller determines that an increase in the drive force by the engine is restricted. In a case that an increase in the drive force is not restricted when launching the vehicle, the controller establishes a first gear stage in the transmission to launch the vehicle, and shift to the second gear stage upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition during propulsion while increasing the drive force. In a case that an increase in the drive force is restricted when launching the vehicle, the controller establishes a second gear stage in the transmission to launch the vehicle.

A rear-wheel drive device 1 includes a first electric motor 102A and a second electric motor 102B, each of which includes an electric motor main body and a rotational-state-quantity detection device. The relative positions between the reference position MS1 of a stator 14A of the first electric motor 102A and the reference position RS1 of a resolver stator 93 of the first electric motor 102A and the relative positions between the reference position MS2 of a stator 14B of the second electric motor 102B and the reference position RS2 of a resolver stator 93 of the second electric motor 102B coincide with each other based on a rotational direction of the first electric motor 102A and the second electric motor 102B which is either the rotational direction during forward movement of a vehicle 3 or the rotational direction during backward movement.

A drive device for a motor vehicle, with a first drive assembly, a second drive assembly, and a planetary gearing, via which the first drive assembly and the second drive assembly, which has a drivable axle of the motor vehicle, can be operatively connected. In this case, it is provided that the first drive assembly can be operatively connected to the planetary gearing via a first clutch coupling, and the drivable axle can be operatively connected to the planetary gearing via a second clutch coupling, and the second drive assembly and an auxiliary assembly are permanently operatively connected to the planetary gearing.