A mileage prediction and optimization system (FIG. 1) is disclosed for optimizing the mileage of a vehicle. The mileage prediction and optimization system comprises a prediction and optimization module (300) adapted to determine variation in mileage of the vehicle at least based on the current fuel volume, current speed, current fuel density, the current tire air pressure, the current tire air temperature, current fetched values from an ECU module (700) and the pre-defined mileage data of the vehicle. Further, the prediction and optimization module (300) is adapted to optimize the mileage of the vehicle by reducing variation of fuel density, reducing variation of tire air pressure and informing optimal gear-speed combinations to a user regardless of whether the vehicle is stationary or in motion.

The hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a motor connected to the engine, and an electronic control unit configured to control the motor to execute motoring to rotate a crankshaft of the engine. The electronic control unit is configured to execute speed-drop offset control when a rotation speed of the engine falls below a first rotation speed that is lower than a self-sustaining rotation speed of the engine while the engine is operated in a self-sustaining manner at the self-sustaining rotation speed.

A communication device acquires schedule information in which a schedule of a user who uses a hybrid electric vehicle is recorded. The schedule information includes a traveling schedule for causing the hybrid electric vehicle to travel in a predetermined period. The predetermined period is a period from when fuel of an engine is refueled to a predetermined deterioration time. When a traveling distance in a long-distance traveling schedule is a first distance, an ECU increases a usage ratio of the engine in the predetermined period than when the traveling distance is a second distance that is longer than the first distance. The long-distance traveling schedule is a schedule included in the traveling schedule and in which the hybrid electric vehicle travels for a predetermined distance or longer.

A catalyst control system includes a stop and start module that, during a period that the vehicle is ON between (i) a first time when the vehicle is turned ON and (i) a second time when the vehicle is next turned OFF, selectively shuts down and starts a spark ignition engine of the vehicle. A catalyst light off (CLO) control module initiates a first CLO event for a first engine startup during the period and, when a temperature of a catalyst that receives exhaust output by the engine is less than a predetermined temperature, selectively initiates a second CLO event for a second engine startup during the period. A fuel control module richens fueling of the engine during the first and second CLO events of the period. A spark control module retards spark timing of the engine during the first and second CLO events of the period.

In the present invention, a display device is provided with a fuel gauge (40) that displays the amount of fuel remaining in a fuel tank (24) (remaining amount) of a hybrid vehicle (10) that is provided with an engine (13) that consumes fuel supplied from the fuel tank (24) and generates power by driving wheels (15) or rotating a motor (11), the hybrid vehicle being provided with a non-traveling/non-power generating mode, or in other words, a fuel consumption mode or an engine maintenance mode in which the engine (13) is forced to run and consume fuel for purposes other than traveling or generating power. Of the fuel (41a) displayed in the fuel gauge (40), the region (41aa) corresponding to the amount of fuel consumed in the non-traveling/non-power generating mode is displayed so as to be distinguishable by color from another region (41ab), and thus, it is possible to display as a status and in a visually clear manner a state in which the engine (13) continues to run, and it is possible for the driver to confirm how much fuel is being consumed in the non-traveling/non-power generating mode, thereby providing the driver with peace of mind.

A control apparatus of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that is provided with a fuel tank, an engine, a battery, and an electric motor. The battery is chargeable by an external power source. The control apparatus includes a fuel deterioration determiner and a regeneration amount limiter. The fuel deterioration determiner determines whether a fuel stored in the fuel tank is deteriorated. The regeneration amount limiter reduces, when the fuel is determined by the fuel deterioration determiner as being deteriorated, a regeneration amount to be less than the regeneration amount of a case where the fuel is determined by the fuel deterioration determiner as not being deteriorated. The regeneration amount is an amount of regeneration of electric power generated by the electric motor upon deceleration of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

A control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a characteristic storage portion configured to store therein torque-characteristic information representing an output torque characteristic as a characteristic of an output torque of an engine of the vehicle, which has appeared in a certain control operation, such that the stored torque-characteristic information is divided into a plurality of groups corresponding to respective refueling points that provide the fuel; and a factor determination portion configured, when the output torque characteristic represented by the torque-characteristic information belonging to one of the plurality of groups and the output torque characteristic represented by the torque-characteristic information belonging to another one of the plurality of groups are different from each other and a characteristic difference therebetween is not smaller than a threshold value, to determine that the characteristic difference is caused by a difference in a property of the fuel.

A control apparatus for a vehicle controls the supply of electric power from a battery to first and/or second heat generating element(s), before starting of the internal combustion engine. When a suppliable amount of electric power is equal to or less than a first amount of electric power, the control apparatus controls the supply of electric power so that a whole amount of electric power within the suppliable amount of electric power is supplied to the second heat generating element, whereas when the suppliable amount of electric power is larger than the first amount of electric power but is equal to or less than a second amount of electric power, the control apparatus controls the supply of electric power so that the whole amount of electric power within the suppliable amount of electric power is supplied to the first heat generating element.

Methods and systems are provided for calculating a fuel aging of fuel in a fuel tank. In one example, a method may include alerting a vehicle operator and/or adjusting engine operating parameters in response to a fuel aging being greater than a threshold aging.

A control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a characteristic storage portion configured to store therein torque-characteristic information representing an output torque characteristic as a characteristic of an output torque of an engine of the vehicle, which has appeared in a certain control operation, such that the stored torque-characteristic information is divided into a plurality of groups corresponding to respective refueling points that provide the fuel; and a factor determination portion configured, when the output torque characteristic represented by the torque-characteristic information belonging to one of the plurality of groups and the output torque characteristic represented by the torque-characteristic information belonging to another one of the plurality of groups are different from each other and a characteristic difference therebetween is not smaller than a threshold value, to determine that the characteristic difference is caused by a difference in a property of the fuel.