Patent ID: 7077223

Claim:
A hybrid vehicle comprising: a single, cylinder-deactivateable engine and a single motor as power sources, output power of at least one of the engine and the motor is transmitted to driving wheels for driving the hybrid vehicle; an accelerator pedal for increasing and decreasing driving power of the hybrid vehicle; and a drive control section which is provided for operating and stopping the engine and the motor, and which is adapted to control the engine and the motor wherein when the engine is stopped and the motor is operated solely for driving the hybrid vehicle, change in desired output power is predicted, and the engine is maintained to be stopped, even when the predicted output power falls in a drive zone in which the engine is supposed to be operated, when movement of the accelerator pedal in a predetermined period is less than a predetermined amount, wherein the motor is controlled and outputs the predicted output power for continuing drive of the vehicle solely by the motor, and wherein a cylinder deactivation control operation is executed to maintain intake and exhaust valves of all cylinders of the engine in a closed position and is applied to the engine to reduce a pumping loss thereof.