Patent ID: 8775005

Claim:
A method of operating a hybrid vehicle having an internal-combustion engine and an electric drive configured for generating vehicle propulsion, the method comprising the acts of: selectively driving the vehicle in one of the following operating modes: in a first operating mode exclusively by the electric drive, in a second operating mode by the internal-combustion engine and the electric drive, or in a third operating mode exclusively by the internal-combustion engine; predefining a desired drive torque by way of a selection element in the first operating mode; and maintaining the vehicle in the first operating mode at least in certain operating conditions even if the desired drive torque is greater than a maximal drive torque that is presently providable by the electric drive, wherein the first operating mode is maintained as long as the desired drive torque is greater by a predefined differential drive torque than the maximal drive torque presently providable by the electric drive, and an amount of the predefined differential drive torque is selected as a function of a speed by which the selection element is actuated.