Patent ID: 8543274
Filing Date: 2013-09-24
Classification: B60K,B60L,B60W,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A power output apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle comprising an engine, an electric motor, an electric motor control section for controlling the electric motor, a battery, a disconnecting and connecting section for disconnecting and connecting the engine from and to the electric motor, and a transmission, the power output apparatus being arranged to start the engine by the electric motor, the power output apparatus comprising: a battery state detecting section for detecting at least one of a state and a storage amount of the battery; a battery output calculating section for calculating a battery output on the basis of at least one of the detected state and the detected storage amount of the battery; an electric motor state detecting section for detecting a state of the electric motor; an electric motor torque/output calculating section for calculating at least one of an electric motor torque, an electric motor output outputted from the electric motor, and a maximal torque of the electric motor on the basis of the detected state of the electric motor; an engine state detecting section for detecting a state of the engine; a starting torque calculating section for calculating an engine starting torque required to start the engine on the basis of the detected state of the engine; and an EV range setting section for setting up an EV range on the basis of the battery output, the at least one of the electric motor torque, the electric motor output, and the engine starting torque required to start the engine, the engine being disconnected from the electric motor and the vehicle being able to be driven with only the electric motor in the EV range, wherein the EV range setting section compares the battery output of the battery with the electric motor torque or the electric motor output of the electric motor to select any lower one therefrom, and sets up, as the EV range, a range obtained by adding a range in which the engine starting torque is subtracted from the selected torque or output into a range in which the engine starting torque is subtracted from the electric motor maximal torque.