Patent ID: 8177005

Claim:
A vehicle comprising: an internal combustion engine; an electric power-mechanical power input output mechanism connected to a first axle which is either of axles of the vehicle and to an output shaft of said internal combustion engine, and capable of input/output of power from/to said first axle and said output shaft with input/output of electric power and mechanical power; a motor capable of input/output of power; a transmission mechanism connected to said first axle or a second axle which is either of the axles different from the first axle and to a rotating shaft of said motor for transmitting power between said first or second axle and said rotating shaft with shifting of a plurality of gears; an accumulator unit capable of exchanging electric power with said electric power-mechanical power input output mechanism and said motor; a required driving force setting unit for setting a required driving force required for operating said engine; and a control unit configured to control said internal combustion engine, said electric power-mechanical power input output mechanism, said motor, and said transmission mechanism so that: (a) when a gear of said transmission mechanism is not shifted, said engine is operated in accordance with a driving force based on the required driving force set as above, and a maximum rotation speed of said engine is changed by adding a first rate value, and (b) during a gear shift of said transmission mechanism, the gear of said transmission mechanism is shifted while said engine is operated with a driving force based on the required driving force set as above, and the maximum rotation speed of said engine is changed by adding a second rate value smaller than said first rate value such that a rotation speed of said engine is prevented from rising rapidly.