Patent ID: 6932738
Filing Date: 2005-08-23
Classification: B60K,B60L,B60W,Y02T,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A drive control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle having front and rear wheels, an engine for driving one of the front and rear wheels, and a motor for driving the other of the front and rear wheels, comprising: a clutch for selectively connecting and disconnecting said motor to and from a drive shaft; a torque controller for controlling torque of said motor; a speed detector for detecting a vehicle speed of the hybrid vehicle; and a clutch controller for determining a timing to engage or disengage said clutch and operating said clutch at the determined timing; wherein when the hybrid vehicle increases in speed, said torque controller gradually reduces the torque of said motor based on said vehicle speed, and the torque of said motor is reduced to zero when said vehicle speed reaches a predetermined vehicle speed threshold, and said clutch controller disengages said clutch at least when said vehicle speed reaches said vehicle speed threshold.