A driving mode control method and apparatus of a hybrid electric vehicle are provided. The driving mode control method includes decreasing a torque of an engine when a first driving mode in which both the engine and a first motor are driven is switched to a second driving mode driven by the first motor and applying a torque of a second motor. A clutch is then opened when a difference between the engine torque and the second motor torque is less than a first threshold torque.

A method of controlling electrically-powered vehicle accessories includes receiving energy data, the energy data providing an indication of an availability of free energy; receiving an electrically-powered vehicle accessory classification for an electrically-powered vehicle accessory, the classification including one of a critical and a discretionary electrically-powered vehicle accessory; receiving a prioritization for the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on the classification and whether the electrically-powered vehicle accessory has an energy storage component; and providing a command to control energy consumption by the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on its prioritization and the availability of free energy.

A method of controlling electrically-powered vehicle accessories includes receiving energy data, the energy data providing an indication of an availability of free energy; receiving an electrically-powered vehicle accessory classification for an electrically-powered vehicle accessory, the classification including one of a critical and a discretionary electrically-powered vehicle accessory; receiving a prioritization for the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on the classification and whether the electrically-powered vehicle accessory has an energy storage component; and providing a command to control energy consumption by the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on its prioritization and the availability of free energy.

In a hybrid vehicle including a front motor for driving front wheels, and a step-up converter for stepping up voltage from a battery to supply power to the front motor, in which power regenerated by rotational force of the front wheel during vehicle deceleration is stepped down by a step-up converter and can be supplied to a battery, the hybrid vehicle includes a hybrid control unit which computes maximum input power of the step-up converter and regenerated power of the front motor during vehicle deceleration, and sets a difference obtained by subtracting regenerated power of the front motor from the maximum input power of the step-up converter to the maximum generated power of the generator.

In a hybrid vehicle including a front motor for driving front wheels, a rear motor for driving rear wheels, a generator for generating power by being driven by an internal combustion engine, and a step-up converter for stepping up the voltage from a battery and supplying power to the front motor, while stepping-down the generated power of the generator and supplying the power to the rear motor, a hybrid control unit decreases the power supplied from the generator to the rear motor, and increases the power supplied from the battery to the rear motor when input power of the step-up converter is limited based on a temperature condition of the step-up converter.

A power controller of a hybrid vehicle includes: a first drive motor that drives any one of a front wheel and a rear wheel of a vehicle; an engine that drives the one wheel or the corresponding other one of the front wheel and the rear wheel of the vehicle through a clutch; a generator that is driven by the engine; and a voltage transformer that steps down generated electric power supplied to the first drive motor and a battery from the generator. The power controller limits passing power of the voltage transformer according to the temperature of the voltage transformer, and connects the clutch when the passing power of the voltage transformer is limited.

A hybrid vehicle including a front motor for driving front wheels, a rear motor for driving rear wheels, and a step-up converter for stepping-up the voltage from a battery and supplying power to the front motor, in which an engine is started to shift the vehicle from an EV mode into a series mode when the output power of the step-up converter is lower than the required power of the front motor, the hybrid vehicle includes a hybrid control unit which computes maximum output power of the step-up converter and, when the output power of the step-up converter is more than the maximum output power, increases the distribution ratio of the travel driving torque of the rear wheel, thereby increasing the output torque of the rear motor.

A power supply system includes a first energy storage, a second energy storage, a power transmission circuit, and circuitry. An electrical load is connected to the first energy storage and to the second energy storage via the power transmission circuit. The circuitry is configured to control the power transmission circuit such that the first energy storage charges the second energy storage and supplies electric power to the electrical load according to a demand of the electrical load when a charge rate in the second energy storage is lower than or equal to a first threshold. The circuitry is configured to control the power transmission circuit such that at least the first energy storage among the first energy storage and the second energy storage supplies electric power to the electrical load according to the demand when the charge rate is higher than the first threshold.

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 in-wheel motors (20) that are provided in wheels (2b) of a vehicle (1) and drive wheels, in which the in-wheel motors generate the maximum output power in a high revolutions range equal to or more than a predetermined number of revolutions that is more than zero.

The disclosed system and method changes a traction torque request in a vehicle powertrain with a driver-controlled vehicle accelerator pedal. A desired transfer function parameter in a powertrain control module is chosen by the driver to obtain a desired functional relationship between a traction torque request or a power plant torque request and accelerator pedal position.