Patent ID: 8186465

Claim:
A hybrid vehicle incorporating an internal combustion engine and a rotating electric machine as its motive power sources, comprising: an electric power storage apparatus capable of being charged and discharged and supplying electric power to said rotating electric machine; an electric power input portion receiving electric power provided from a source external to the vehicle for charging said electric power storage apparatus; an electric power generation apparatus generating electric power using an output from said internal combustion engine and supplying the generated electric power to said electric power storage apparatus; control means for controlling a state of charge of said electric power storage apparatus to attain a prescribed control range or control target value; and prediction means for predicting an arrival time to a location where said electric power storage apparatus can be charged from said electric power input portion, said control means for switching between a first mode of driving by priority said internal combustion engine and said electric power generation apparatus and a second mode of stopping said internal combustion engine and said electric power generation apparatus and using by priority electric power stored in said electric power storage apparatus, and said control means making, when an electricity price in a specified time slot in which the arrival time predicted by said prediction means is included is less expensive than an electricity price in a time slot other than said specified time slot, selection of said second mode as well as setting said prescribed control range or control target value to be lower than when said arrival time is included in the time slot other than said specified time slot.