Patent ID: 8355853

Claim:
A control system for a hybrid vehicle, said control system comprising: a control responsive to an indication of at least one of (a) a geographical location of the hybrid vehicle and (b) a programmed route of travel of the hybrid vehicle; wherein said control, responsive to said indication, and when the hybrid vehicle is at a geographical location along a route traveled by the hybrid vehicle and while the hybrid vehicle is traveling along the route, selects at least one of (a) electric-powered propulsion of the hybrid vehicle and (b) non-electric-powered propulsion of the hybrid vehicle; and wherein said selection is, at least in part, responsive to at least one of (i) a distance from a current geographical location of the hybrid vehicle, as determined by a global positioning system, to a target destination of the hybrid vehicle, (ii) a current geographical location of the hybrid vehicle, as determined by a global positioning system, being indicative of the hybrid vehicle approaching an urban area, (iii) a current geographical location of the hybrid vehicle, as determined by a global positioning system, being indicative of the hybrid vehicle leaving a highway and (iv) a current geographical location of the hybrid vehicle, as determined by a global positioning system, being indicative of the hybrid vehicle entering a residential area.