Patent ID: 8229612

Claim:
A vehicle, comprising: an internal combustion engine; an electric power generating unit that generates electric power with at least part of power from the internal combustion engine; a motor that inputs and outputs power from and to an axle; an accumulator unit that inputs and outputs electric power from and to the electric power generating unit and the motor; a temperature detector that detects the temperature of the accumulator unit; a driving force demand setting module that sets a driving force demand for driving the vehicle; a control module that performs an intermittent operation of the internal combustion engine and controls the internal combustion engine, the electric power generating unit and the motor to adjust a charge amount of the accumulator unit to be a preset target charge amount and to ensure output of a driving force equivalent to the set driving force demand on condition that the intermittent operation of the internal combustion engine is not prohibited, while selecting a control among a plurality of controls including a warm-up control and a low charge amount control in response to the detected accumulator temperature and performing the selected control on condition that the intermittent operation of internal combustion engine is prohibited, the warm-up control continuing the operation of the internal combustion engine and controlling the internal combustion engine, the electric power generating unit and the motor to ensure output of the driving force equivalent to the set driving force demand and charge and discharge of the accumulator unit for warming up the accumulator unit, the low charge amount control continuing the operation of the internal combustion engine and controlling the internal combustion engine, the electric power generating unit and the motor to adjust the charge amount of the accumulator unit to be a low target charge amount that is less than the preset target charge amount and to ensure output of the driving force equivalent to the set driving force demand.