A method of starting a vehicle may include, in response to an expected driver entry, stroking a clutch configured to couple an engine to an electric machine for a predetermined time period. The method may further include, in response to an engine start request received during the predetermined time period, providing power to the electric machine to spin the electric machine at a speed at least equal to a target engine cranking speed.

A hybrid vehicle includes an electric machine, an engine selectively coupled to the electric machine by a disconnect clutch, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, in response to a change in the driver-demanded torque necessitating starting of the engine: determine a state of driving (SOD) based on the change in driver-demanded torque, wherein the SOD is indicative of a desired responsiveness of the vehicle, and the desired responsiveness increases as SOD increases; command a speed target to the engine equal to a predicted motor speed associated with the driver-demanded torque plus an offset that is based on the SOD; and command a capacity to the disconnect clutch at a rate and a magnitude based on the SOD.

A vehicle control device disengages a clutch provided between an engine and a driving wheel at a brake-off and an accelerator-off during traveling of the vehicle, and stops the engine and carries out inertia traveling. The vehicle control device starts the engine by the push-start by engaging the clutch and by transmitting the power of the driving wheel to the engine, if it is determined that a brake pedal has been depressed during the inertia traveling.

A hybrid vehicle controller is configured to: upon receiving a predetermined mode switching request, bring a clutch into a half-clutch state to start an engine using rotation of a transmission shaft; and upon determining that the engine has started, shift the clutch from the half-clutch state to a stand-by state and subsequently shift the clutch to an engaged state, the stand-by state being a state which is intermediate between the half-clutch state and a disengaged state and in which drive power of the engine is not transmitted to the transmission shaft.

A working vehicle includes a prime mover, a traveling device, a traveling clutch switchable between an engaged state to transmit, to the traveling device, power provided from the prime mover and a disengaged state to interrupt the power transmitting to the traveling device, an automatic switching controller to switch the traveling clutch from the disengaged state to the engaged state, and a status detector to detect at least either a status of the prime mover or a status of the traveling device. The automatic switching controller changes a switching speed of the traveling clutch switched from the disengaged state to the engaged state based on the status detected by the status detector.

A hybrid drive device includes an internal combustion engine, an electric machine and an impulse start module which comprises two clutches and a flywheel mass. A method for operating the hybrid device includes opening the first clutch of the impulse-start module and establishing a start-up requirement for the internal-combustion engine. The method also includes closing the first clutch with the second clutch in an open or closed position for a start of the internal-combustion engine.

The control device of the vehicle performs slip control for engaging the connection and disconnection clutch as an instruction hydraulic pressure for engaging the connection and disconnection clutch by the hydraulic control mechanism after the internal combustion engine is started by the starter, as an instruction hydraulic pressure for maintaining the speed of the internal combustion engine at a higher speed than a lower limit speed for avoiding the stop of the internal combustion engine. Further, the control device of the vehicle performs engagement completion control of raising an instruction hydraulic pressure for engaging the connection and disconnection clutch from an instruction hydraulic pressure in the slip control to an instruction hydraulic pressure for completing engagement of the connection and disconnection clutch when a difference between the speed of the internal combustion engine and the speed of the electric motor becomes smaller than a preset threshold value.

A working vehicle includes a prime mover, a traveling device, a traveling clutch switchable between an engaged state to transmit, to the traveling device, power provided from the prime mover and a disengaged state to interrupt the power transmitting to the traveling device, an automatic switching controller to switch the traveling clutch from the disengaged state to the engaged state, and a status detector to detect at least either a status of the prime mover or a status of the traveling device. The automatic switching controller changes a switching speed of the traveling clutch switched from the disengaged state to the engaged state based on the status detected by the status detector.

A vehicle control apparatus to be applied to a hybrid vehicle includes an electric motor, an engine, a clutch mechanism, a torque converter, and a control system. In a case of switching a traveling mode of the hybrid vehicle from a motor mode to an engine mode in response to an increase in requested driving force from a first driving force to a second driving force resulting from an operation of an accelerator of the vehicle, the control system starts up the engine and engages the clutch mechanism while controlling the electric motor based on a transition driving force larger than the first driving force. After a lapse of a delay time from completion of starting up of the engine and engaging the clutch mechanism, the control system controls the electric motor and the engine based on the second driving force larger than the transition driving force.

Systems and methods for starting an engine of a hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, the method starts an engine according to vehicle conditions that are within a range that is defined by one or more thresholds. The thresholds may be adjusted based on a history of individual driving patterns.