Patent ID: 7632212

Claim:
A hybrid vehicle, comprising: an internal combustion engine that is driven to output power for driving the hybrid vehicle; a motor that is driven to output power for driving the hybrid vehicle; a target vehicle speed setting unit that sets a target vehicle speed for constant speed drive of the hybrid vehicle; a mode selection unit that selectively activates either a normal drive mode or a fuel economy priority mode, which places the greater importance on fuel efficiency, in response to a driver's operation; a vehicle speed measurement unit that measures a vehicle speed; and a constant speed drive control module that, during normal constant speed drive with selective activation of the normal drive mode by the mode selection unit and with setting of the target vehicle speed by the target vehicle speed setting unit, controls the internal combustion engine and the motor to drive the internal combustion engine on a specific drive point curve satisfying a predetermined condition with possible intermittent operation and to make the measured vehicle speed approach to the set target vehicle speed, during fuel economy-priority constant speed drive with selective activation of the fuel economy priority mode by the mode selection unit and with setting of the target vehicle speed by the target vehicle speed setting unit, the constant speed drive control module controlling the internal combustion engine and the motor to drive the internal combustion engine in an efficient drive point range on the specific drive point curve satisfying the predetermined condition and to make the measured vehicle speed approach to the set target vehicle speed.