Patent ID: 8567541

Claim:
A method of controlling an engine of an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle including a generator driven by the engine, an electric motor driven by a battery, and a transmission having a plurality of gears, the method including the steps of: monitoring a vehicle speed of the electric vehicle; placing the transmission of the electric vehicle in a neutral gear; receiving a user input while the transmission is in the neutral gear, the user input being configured to activate the engine of the electric vehicle; starting the engine of the electric vehicle upon receipt of the user input and upon the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle being at or below a predetermined threshold value; generating electrical energy with the generator; routing the electrical energy to the battery; charging the battery of the electric vehicle with the generated electrical energy, and stopping the engine of the electric vehicle in response to at least one of the vehicle speed exceeding the predetermined threshold value and the transmission being placed in a non-neutral gear.