Patent ID: 6837049

Claim:
A propelling system for a vehicle comprising an engine and a Rankine cycle system for converting heat energy of exhaust gas from the engine into mechanical energy to output the mechanical energy, so that a wheel is driven by a combined output from the engine and from the Rankine cycle system, wherein said propelling system includes a control means for controlling a throttle opening degree of the engine by correcting an accelerator opening degree commanded by a driver, and said control means controls the throttle opening degree of the engine, so that said combined output assumes a value corresponding to the accelerator opening degree, in order to compensate for a response delay of the output from the Rankine cycle system, and wherein when an increase in the accelerator opening degree is commanded to be an increased value, the throttle opening degree is increased to a value that is larger by a correction amount than a value proportional to the increased value of the accelerator opening degree, whereas when a decrease in the accelerator opening degree is commanded to be a decreased value, the throttle opening degree is decreased to a value that is smaller by a correction amount than a value proportional to the decreased value of the accelerator opening degree.