Patent ID: 8892286

Claim:
A hybrid vehicle, comprising: a rechargeable power storage device; an electric motor receiving electric power from said power storage device and generating vehicle driving force; an internal combustion engine; a controller controlling switching of running mode including a first mode in which said internal combustion engine is stopped and running using said electric motor only is given priority, and a second mode in which said internal combustion engine is operated to maintain state of charge of said power storage device at a prescribed target; a detecting device for detecting temperature of said power storage device; and a running mode switching request switch configured to allow a user to request switching of said running mode; wherein when switching from said first mode to said second mode is requested by said running mode switching request switch, if a state quantity representing said state of charge is larger than a specified value and the temperature of said power storage device is lower than a specified temperature, said controller maintains said first running mode as said running mode.