Patent ID: 7259530

Claim:
A power output apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a first inverter; a second inverter; a 2Y motor having a first three-phase motor coil and a second three-phase motor coil functioning as stators, energization of said first and second three-phase motor coils being controlled respectively by said first and second inverters; a power supply connected between a first neutral point of said first three-phase motor coil and a second neutral point of said second three-phase motor coil; a capacitor element provided on an input side of said first and second inverters; and a control unit controlling said first or second inverter to allow a precharge operation for precharging said capacitor element to be performed; a relay disposed between said first and second three-phase coils to selectively supply current to the first and second three-phase coils according to a signal from the control unit, wherein said control unit controls said first and second inverters to allow a voltage step-up operation for increasing a power-supply voltage which is output from said power supply to a predetermined level, as well as a drive operation for driving said 2Y motor to be performed after said precharge operation is completed, and said 2Y motor starts an internal combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle.