Patent ID: 9139106
Filing Date: 2015-09-22
Classification: B60L,B60W,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling an electric vehicle having a range switching device for switching between a first forward driving range and a second forward driving range as shift ranges in response to an input operation performed by a driver of the electric vehicle, the method comprising: when the driver closes an accelerator of the electric vehicle on a flat road, carrying out an accelerator regenerative control process for applying, to the electric vehicle, a braking force equivalent to engine braking by regenerative electric generation by an electric motor; wherein a deceleration of the electric vehicle in the accelerator regenerative control process at the time the second forward driving range is selected, is greater than a deceleration of the electric vehicle in the accelerator regenerative control process at the time the first forward driving range is selected; when the electric vehicle is driving on a downhill road, carrying out a downhill regenerative control process for adjusting an amount of electric power regenerated by the electric motor such that an acceleration of the electric vehicle at the time the accelerator is closed, is equal to a downhill acceleration depending on a road surface gradient; wherein the downhill acceleration at the time the second forward driving range is selected, is smaller than the downhill acceleration at the time the first forward driving range is selected, throughout a region of the road surface gradient that is established as a control range; and carrying out an acceleration increasing control process for setting the downhill acceleration at the time of switching from the second forward driving range to the first forward driving range while the electric vehicle is driving on the downhill road, at least temporarily to an acceleration in excess of the downhill acceleration obtained on the assumption that the electric vehicle is driving continuously in the first forward driving range at the same road surface gradient as the road surface gradient of the downhill road on which the electric vehicle is currently driving.