Patent ID: 7846061

Claim:
A method of operating a drivetrain of a motor vehicle which includes, in a force flow direction in the following sequential order: an internal combustion engine, a clutch, an electric motor, a transmission, and an axle gearset such that the electric motor facilitates pre-lubrication and warming of the transmission, and the transmission is a range-change transmission and a transmission input shaft is located between the electric motor and the transmission, the method comprising the steps of: disengaging the clutch, driving a lubricant pump of the transmission with the electric motor so that bearing points are supplied with a lubricant before the internal combustion engine is started, and warming the transmission, via heat produced by lubricant displacement, prior to starting the internal combustion engine, and after the clutch is disengaged, engaging a split group and the transmission, shifting a range group into “neutral” and driving the transmission input shaft with the electric motor.