Electric vehicle

Abstract

To provide a technique which can improve convenience of a driver in an electric vehicle having a control mode that simulates a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle.SOLUTION: An electric vehicle described in the present disclosure includes an electric motor as a driving source and has a plurality of control modes which is selectable by a driver. The electric vehicle comprises: a driving operation member that is used in driving; a pseudo shifting operation member simulating an operation member that is used to perform a shifting operation of a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle; and a control device that controls the electric vehicle. The plurality of control modes include a manual mode in which operation of the pseudo shifting operation member is associated with torque of the electric motor and an automatic mode in which the operation is not associated with the torque. The control device comprises: a memory device in which one or more driver candidates are registered in association with the control modes. The control device is configured to start the control mode associated with a new driver boarding the electric vehicle when the new driver is included in the driver candidates, at the time of starting the electric vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source.

Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent No. 6787507 discloses a prior art related to an electric vehicle capable of pseudo-reproducing a manual shift operation of a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission having an internal combustion engine as a power source (hereinafter referred to as a manual shift type internal combustion engine vehicle) by controlling an electric motor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The above prior art discloses an electric vehicle having a control mode that simulates a manual shift type internal combustion engine vehicle. A driver can drive the electric vehicle as a normal electric vehicle, or can enjoy an operation that simulates a manual shift type internal combustion engine vehicle with the same vehicle. Alternatively, an engine sound simulating a manual shift type internal combustion engine vehicle can be output to obtain a sense of presence as if driving a manual shift type internal combustion engine vehicle. While such an electric vehicle can improve the driver's enjoyment, an increase in the selectable modes also means an increase in the labor of setting. Therefore, how to improve the driver's convenience becomes a problem.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present disclosure provides an electric vehicle for achieving the above object. The electric vehicle has an electric motor as a drive source and includes a plurality of control modes that can be selected by a driver. The electric vehicle further includes a driving operation member used for driving, a pseudo-shifting operation member imitating an operation member used for shifting operation of a manual transmission internal combustion locomotive, and a control device configured to control the electric vehicle according to an operation of the driving operation member. The plurality of control modes include a manual mode in which an operation of the pseudo-shifting operation member is associated with the torque of the electric motor, and an automatic mode in which an operation of the pseudo-shifting operation member is not associated with the torque of the electric motor. The control device includes a storage device that stores association information in which one or more driver candidates are registered in association with control modes. The control device is configured to start a control mode associated with a new driver who gets on the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle is started and the new driver is included in the driver candidates.

[0006] In the association information, the control mode associated with the driver candidate may be the control mode selected by the driver candidate when the driver candidate last drove the electric vehicle. When the electric vehicle is driven by a driver, the control device may update the association information and associate the driver with the control mode selected by the driver.

[0007] In the association information, more detailed settings in the manual mode may be registered in association with the driver candidate. The more detailed settings may include settings related to any one or more of a shift mode, engine characteristics, engine sound, drive mode, and suspension characteristics. When a newly boarded driver of the electric vehicle is included in the driver candidates and more detailed settings in the manual mode are associated with the driver, the control device may set any one or more of the shift mode, engine characteristics, engine sound, drive mode, and suspension characteristics according to the associated settings for the driver.

[0008] The present disclosure also provides an electric vehicle for achieving the above object. The electric vehicle has an electric motor as a drive source. The electric vehicle includes a speaker that outputs sound inside the vehicle, and a control device configured to generate a pseudo engine sound and output the pseudo engine sound from the speaker. The pseudo engine sound is generated based on any one of a plurality of sound sources according to the driver's selection. The control device includes a storage device that stores association information in which one or a plurality of driver candidates are registered in association with the sound sources. When a new driver who has boarded the electric vehicle is included in the driver candidates at the start of the electric vehicle, the control device is configured to set the sound source associated with the new driver as the sound source for generating the pseudo engine sound.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the electric vehicle of the present disclosure, driver candidates are registered in the storage device in a state associated with a control mode or a sound source. The control device refers to the storage device and sets the control mode or the sound source associated with the driver when a newly boarded driver is included in the driver candidates. By automatically setting by the control device, the driver does not need to set again every time boarding the electric vehicle, and is released from the annoyance. Thus, the convenience for the driver can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 8

Figure 9

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] 1. Configuration of the power system of an electric vehicle FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of an electric vehicle 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. First, with reference to FIG. 1, the configuration of the power system of the electric vehicle 100 will be described.

[0012] The electric vehicle 100 is provided with two electric motors (M) 4F and 4R at the front and rear as a power source for traveling. The electric motors 4F and 4R are, for example, three-phase AC motors. The front electric motor 4F is connected to a front drive shaft 5F that drives the front wheels 6F. The rear electric motor 4R is connected to a rear drive shaft 5R that drives the rear wheels 6R. The front wheels 6F are suspended by an electronically controlled front suspension 7F with independent left and right sides. The rear wheels 6R are suspended by an electronically controlled rear suspension 7R with independent left and right sides.

[0013] Inverters (INV) 3F and 3R are respectively attached to the front electric motor 4F and the rear electric motor 4R. The front inverter 3F and the rear inverter 3R are respectively connected to a battery (BATT) 2. The battery 2 stores electrical energy for driving the electric motors 4F and 4R. That is, the electric vehicle 100 is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that travels with the electrical energy stored in the battery 2. The inverters 3F and 3R are, for example, voltage source inverters, and control the torque of the electric motors 4F and 4R by PWM control.

[0014] 2. Configuration of the control system of an electric vehicle Next, while referring to FIG. 1, the configuration of the control system of the electric vehicle 100 will be described.

[0015] The electric vehicle 100 is equipped with a battery management system (BMS) 10. The battery management system 10 is a device that monitors the cell voltage, current, temperature, etc. of the battery 2. The battery management system 10 has a function of estimating the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 2.

[0016] The electric vehicle 100 is equipped with a vehicle speed sensor 11. At least one of the wheel speed sensors (not shown) provided on each of the left and right front wheels 6F and the left and right rear wheels 6R is used as the vehicle speed sensor 11. Further, the electric vehicle 100 is equipped with an accelerator pedal stroke sensor 12. The accelerator pedal stroke sensor 12 is provided on the accelerator pedal 22 and outputs a signal indicating the depression amount of the accelerator pedal 22, that is, the accelerator opening. Furthermore, the electric vehicle 100 is equipped with a brake pedal stroke sensor 13. The brake pedal stroke sensor 13 is provided on the brake pedal 23 and outputs a signal indicating the depression amount of the brake pedal 23, that is, the brake opening.

[0017] The accelerator pedal 22 and the brake pedal 23 are driving operation members used for driving the electric vehicle 100. Separately from these driving operation members, the electric vehicle 100 is equipped with a pseudo-shift operation member that imitates the operation member used for the shift operation of a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle. The pseudo-shift operation member includes the following pseudo-H shifter 24, pseudo-paddle shifter 25, and pseudo-clutch pedal 26.

[0018] The pseudo H-type shifter 24 is a dummy that is different from the original H-type shifter. The pseudo H-type shifter 24 has a structure imitating the shift stick provided on the console and can move between shift positions along an H-shaped gate. However, since the electric vehicle 100 does not have an actual transmission, the shift positions of the pseudo H-type shifter 24 are virtual shift positions. A shift position sensor 14 is provided on the pseudo H-type shifter 24. The shift position sensor 14 outputs a signal indicating the shift position selected by the pseudo H-type shifter 24.

[0019] The pseudo paddle shifter 25 is a dummy that is different from the original paddle shifter which is a type of sequential shifter. The pseudo paddle shifter 25 has a structure imitating the shift paddles attached to the steering wheel and can move the left and right paddles independently. A paddle shift switch 15 is provided on the pseudo paddle shifter 25. The paddle shift switch 15 outputs an upshift signal when the right paddle is pulled and outputs a downshift signal when the left paddle is pulled.

[0020] The pseudo clutch pedal 26 is a dummy that is different from the original clutch pedal. The pseudo clutch pedal 26 has a structure imitating the clutch pedal provided in a conventional manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle. For example, the pseudo clutch pedal 26 is provided with a reaction force mechanism that generates a reaction force against the driver's depression. The position when no stepping force is applied is the start position of the pseudo clutch pedal 26, and the position when it is depressed to the deepest is the end position of the pseudo clutch pedal 26. The driver can operate the pseudo clutch pedal 26 against the reaction force from the reaction force mechanism from the start position to the end position. A clutch pedal stroke sensor 16 is provided on the pseudo clutch pedal 26. The clutch pedal stroke sensor 16 outputs a signal indicating the depression amount of the pseudo clutch pedal 26. Since the electric vehicle 100 does not have an actual clutch, the operation amount of the pseudo clutch pedal 26, that is, the clutch opening degree, is a virtual clutch opening degree.

[0021] Note that the pseudo-clutch pedal 26 is a pedal-type operating device operated by foot, but a lever-type operating device or a dial-type operating device operated by hand may be provided as the pseudo-clutch operating device. The pseudo-clutch operating device can be operated by the driver against the reaction force from the start position to the end position, and various structures can be adopted as long as the operating feeling similar to that of the clutch pedal provided in a conventional manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle can be felt by foot or hand.

[0022] In addition, the electric vehicle 100 includes a human-machine interface (HMI) 20 as an interface with the driver, an in-vehicle speaker 21, and an in-vehicle camera 27. The HMI 20 includes a touch panel display. The HMI 20 displays information on the touch panel display and receives input from the driver by a touch operation on the touch panel display. The in-vehicle speaker 21 provides information to the driver by voice and can output a pseudo-engine sound described later. The in-vehicle camera 27 can image the interior of the electric vehicle 100, for example, the driver's seat, and acquire an image.

[0023] The electric vehicle 100 includes a control device 101. Sensors and devices to be controlled mounted on the electric vehicle 100 are connected to the control device 101 by an in-vehicle network. In addition to the battery management system 10, vehicle speed sensor 11, accelerator pedal stroke sensor 12, brake pedal stroke sensor 13, shift position sensor 14, paddle shift switch 15, clutch pedal stroke sensor 16, and in-vehicle camera 27, various other sensors are mounted on the electric vehicle 100.

[0024] The control device 101 is typically an electronic control unit (ECU). The control device 101 may be a combination of a plurality of ECUs. The control device 101 includes at least a processor 102 and a memory 103. The memory 103 includes a RAM for temporarily recording data, and a ROM for storing a program 104 executable by the processor 102 and various data 105 related to the program. The data 105 stored in the memory 103 includes at least the association information described later. The data 105 may additionally include map data for calculating the driving route of the electric vehicle 100. The program 104 is composed of a plurality of instructions. The processor 102 reads the program 104 and the data 105 from the memory 103 and executes them, and generates a control signal based on the signals acquired from each sensor. The number of processors 102 included in the control device 101 may be one or more.

[0025] The control device 101 can control the electric vehicle 100 in various control modes. The control mode can be selected by the driver himself / herself by touching the touch panel display of the HMI 20. Specifically, by touching the touch panel display of the HMI 20, one or a plurality of programs 104 associated with each touch operation are read from the memory 103 and executed by the processor 102. Hereinafter, the control modes of the electric vehicle 100 by the control device 101 that can be selected by the driver through the operation of the HMI 20 will be described.

[0026] 3. Control Modes of Electric Vehicle FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are tree diagrams showing an example of the control modes of the electric vehicle 100 selectable by the control device 101. On the HMI 20, a selection screen is displayed on the touch panel display according to the control tree shown in FIG. 2.

[0027] On the initial screen of the HMI20, an option "Control Mode" OP100 is displayed. By selecting the option "Control Mode" OP100, options "Automatic Mode" OP110 and "Manual Mode" OP120 are displayed on the touch panel display. When the option "Automatic Mode" OP110 is selected, the control mode of the electric vehicle 100 switches to the automatic mode. The automatic mode is a control mode for operating the electric vehicle 100 as a normal BEV. In the automatic mode, the driver can basically drive the electric vehicle 100 only by operating the accelerator pedal 22, the brake pedal 23, and the steering wheel (not shown). In the automatic mode, the shift operation of the pseudo H-type shifter 24, the shift operation of the pseudo paddle shifter 25, and the clutch operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 26 are disabled.

[0028] When the option "Manual Mode" OP120 is selected, the control mode of the electric vehicle 100 switches to the manual mode. The manual mode is a control mode for operating the electric vehicle 100 to act like a manually shifted internal combustion locomotive. By selecting the option "Manual Mode" OP120, options "Shift Mode" OP210, "Engine Characteristics" OP220, "Engine Sound" OP230, "Drive Mode" OP240, and "Suspension Characteristics" OP250 are displayed on the touch panel display. The driver can determine the characteristics of the manually shifted internal combustion locomotive that he / she wants to simulate on the electric vehicle 100 by appropriately combining these options OP210 - OP250.

[0029] Option "Shift Mode" OP210 is an option for selecting the shift mode of a manual transmission when operating the electric vehicle 100 like a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle. As shown in FIG. 2, by selecting the option "Shift Mode" OP210, options "Paddle Shift" OP311 and "Stick Shift" OP312 are displayed on the touch panel display. When the option "Paddle Shift" OP311 is selected, the shift mode of the manual transmission reproduced in the electric vehicle 100 switches to the paddle shift mode. The paddle shift mode is a mode in which the pseudo paddle shifter 25 is used for shift operations. In the paddle shift mode, the shift operation of the pseudo H-type shifter 24 is invalidated. In the paddle shift mode, the operation when the gear ratio of the manual transmission is switched is reproduced by the shift operation of the pseudo paddle shifter 25. Note that the clutch operation in an actual paddle shift type manual transmission is automatically performed by a robot. Therefore, in the paddle shift mode, the clutch operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 26 is not required. In the paddle shift mode, the clutch operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 26 is invalidated.

[0030] When the option "Stick Shift" OP312 is selected, the stick shift mode is selected. The stick shift mode is a mode that uses the pseudo H-type shifter 24 for shift operations. In the stick shift mode, the shift operation of the pseudo paddle shifter 25 is disabled. In the stick shift mode, the operation when the manual transmission gear ratio is switched is reproduced by the shift operation of the pseudo H-type shifter 24. For genuine H-type shifter manual transmissions, there are those where the driver operates the clutch themselves and those where the clutch operation is entrusted to a robot. When the option "Stick Shift" OP312 is selected, the options "Clutch Operation" OP411 and "Clutchless" OP412 are displayed on the touch panel display. When the option "Clutch Operation" OP411 is selected, the stick shift mode switches to a mode that requires the clutch operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 26. On the other hand, when the option "Clutchless" OP412 is selected, the clutch operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 26 is disabled, and the stick shift mode switches to a mode that does not require the clutch operation.

[0031] The option "Engine Characteristics" OP220 is an option for selecting the characteristics of the internal combustion engine when operating the electric vehicle 100 like a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle. As shown in FIG. 2, by selecting the option "Engine Characteristics" OP220, the options "Low to Medium Rotation Type" OP321, "High Rotation Type" OP322, and "Full Range Type" OP323 are displayed on the touch panel display. When the option "Low to Medium Rotation Type" OP321 is selected, the characteristics of the internal combustion engine reproduced by the electric vehicle 100 switch to the low to medium rotation type with relatively high torque in the low to medium rotation range. When the option "High Rotation Type" OP322 is selected, the characteristics of the internal combustion engine reproduced by the electric vehicle 100 switch to the high rotation type with relatively high torque in the high rotation range. And when the option "Full Range Type" OP323 is selected, the characteristics of the internal combustion engine reproduced by the electric vehicle 100 switch to the full range type with uniform torque throughout. However, the low to medium rotation type, high rotation type, and full range type are only examples of engine characteristics that can be reproduced by the control of the electric vehicle 100.

[0032] Option "Engine Sound" OP230 is an option for selecting the engine sound to be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100. As shown in FIG. 2, by selecting the option "Engine Sound" OP230, options "Straight-4 Supercharged Engine" OP331, "Flat-6 Engine" OP332, and "V12 Engine" OP323 are displayed on the touch panel display. When the option "Straight-4 Supercharged Engine" OP331 is selected, the engine sound reproduced in the electric vehicle 100 switches to the engine sound of a straight-4 supercharged engine. When the option "Flat-6 Engine" OP332 is selected, the engine sound reproduced in the electric vehicle 100 switches to the engine sound of a flat-6 engine. And when the option "V12 Engine" OP333 is selected, the engine sound reproduced in the electric vehicle 100 switches to the engine sound of a V12 engine. However, the straight-4 supercharged engine, flat-6 engine, and V12 engine are merely examples of engine sounds that can be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100.

[0033] Option "Drive Mode" OP240 is an option for selecting the drive mode of the electric vehicle 100. As shown in FIG. 3, by selecting the option "Drive Mode" OP240, options "Four-Wheel Drive" OP341 and "Rear-Wheel Drive" OP342 are displayed on the touch panel display. When the option "Four-Wheel Drive" OP341 is selected, the drive mode of the electric vehicle 100 switches to the four-wheel drive mode. In the four-wheel drive mode, the front wheels 6F are driven by the front electric motor 4F and the rear wheels 6R are driven by the rear electric motor 4R. The torque distribution between the front wheels 6F and the rear wheels 6R can be fixed or made variable by controlling the electric motors 4F, 4F by the inverters 3F, 3R. When the option "Rear-Wheel Drive" OP342 is selected, the drive mode of the electric vehicle 100 switches to the rear-wheel drive mode. In the rear-wheel drive mode, only the rear wheels 6R are driven by the rear electric motor 4R. However, in the electric vehicle 100, it is also possible to select a front-wheel drive mode in which only the front wheels 6F are driven by the front electric motor 4F instead of or in addition to the rear-wheel drive mode.

[0034] The option "Suspension Characteristics" OP250 is an option for selecting the suspension characteristics of the electric vehicle 100. As shown in FIG. 3, by selecting the option "Suspension Characteristics" OP250, options "Soft" OP351, "Hard" OP352, and "Medium" OP353 are displayed on the touch panel display. When the option "Soft" OP351 is selected, the suspension characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 switch to the soft mode. In the soft mode, the damping forces of the suspensions 7F and 7R are reduced. When the option "Hard" OP352 is selected, the suspension characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 switch to the hard mode. In the hard mode, the damping forces of the suspensions 7F and 7R are increased. And when the option "Medium" OP353 is selected, the suspension characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 switch to the medium mode. In the medium mode, the damping forces of the suspensions 7F and 7R are set to a damping force intermediate between the soft mode and the hard mode. However, since the suspensions 7F and 7R are electronically controlled, their suspension characteristics can be widely adjusted. Therefore, the soft mode, hard mode, and medium mode are only examples of the suspension characteristics achievable in the electric vehicle 100. Note that the drive mode and the suspension characteristics may be made selectable not only in the manual mode but also in the automatic mode.

[0035] By operating the touch panel display of the HMI 20 according to the control tree described above, the control mode of the electric vehicle 100 can be switched to the driver's preference. The controllable control modes include modes related to the driving control of the electric vehicle 100 and modes related to the sound control of the electric vehicle 100. Specifically, the mode related to the option "Engine Sound" OP230 is a mode related to the sound control, and the others are modes related to the driving control. In the following chapters, the driving control and sound control of the electric vehicle 100 by the control device 101 will be described.

[0036] 4. Driving Control of Electric Vehicle FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a control device 101 related to the running control of the electric vehicle 100. Specifically, FIG. 2 shows the configuration related to torque control in particular among the running controls. By executing one or a plurality of programs 104 for running control stored in the memory 103 by the processor 102, the processor 102 functions as a running control device.

[0037] A control mode signal is input to the control device 101 as a running control device from the HMI 20. The control mode signal includes information regarding the control mode selected by the driver. The control device 101 executes a process P110 based on the control mode signal. In the process P110, the control mode is switched according to the control mode signal. What particularly affects the running control upon switching of the control mode is the switching between the automatic mode and the manual mode.

[0038] When the control mode is switched to the automatic mode, the control device 101 executes a process P120 for torque calculation in the automatic mode. In the process P120, the control device 101 acquires the vehicle speed from the signal of the vehicle speed sensor 11 and acquires the accelerator opening from the signal of the accelerator pedal stroke sensor 12. The control device 101 has a motor torque map using the accelerator opening and the vehicle speed as parameters. The control device 101 inputs the vehicle speed and the accelerator opening to the motor torque map, and controls the inverters 3F, 3R so as to generate the torque obtained from the motor torque map in the electric motors 4F, 4R.

[0039] When the control mode is switched to the manual mode, the control device 101 executes a process P130 for torque calculation in the manual mode. The process P130 includes a process P131 for calculating the torque to be generated at the drive wheels. Further, the process P130 includes a process P132 and a process P133. The process P132 is a process for calculating the torque to be generated in the front electric motor 4F, and the process P133 is a process for calculating the torque to be generated in the rear electric motor 4R. The processes P132 and P133 are executed according to the torque distribution between the drive wheel torque calculated in the process P130 and the front wheels 6F and the rear wheels 6R.

[0040] In the calculation of the driving wheel torque in process P131, vehicle model MOD01 is used. Vehicle model MOD01 includes engine model MOD11, clutch model MOD12, and transmission model MOD13. The engine virtually realized by vehicle model MOD01 is called a virtual engine, the clutch virtually realized is called a virtual clutch, and the transmission virtually realized is called a virtual transmission. In engine model MOD11, the virtual engine is modeled. In clutch model MOD12, the virtual clutch is modeled. In transmission model MOD13, the virtual transmission is modeled.

[0041] Engine model MOD11 calculates the virtual engine speed and the virtual engine torque. The virtual engine speed is calculated from the vehicle speed, the overall reduction ratio, and the slip ratio of the virtual clutch. The virtual engine torque is calculated from the virtual engine speed and the accelerator opening. The vehicle speed is obtained from the signal of vehicle speed sensor 11. The accelerator opening is obtained from the signal of accelerator pedal stroke sensor 12. The overall reduction ratio is a numerical value obtained by multiplying the gear ratio of the virtual transmission by the reduction ratio determined by the mechanical structure from the virtual transmission to the driving wheels. In engine model MOD11, the relationship between the virtual engine speed and the virtual engine torque is defined for each accelerator opening. The engine characteristics of engine model MOD11 can be selected by the driver through the operation of HMI20. In the example shown in Figure 2, the engine characteristics can be selected from low and medium rotation type, high rotation type, and full range type.

[0042] The clutch model MOD12 calculates the torque transmission gain. The torque transmission gain is a gain for calculating the degree of torque transmission of a virtual clutch according to the clutch opening. When the clutch operation stick shift mode is selected as the shift mode, the clutch opening is obtained from the signal of the clutch pedal stroke sensor 16. The clutch opening is 0% at the start position of the pseudo clutch pedal 26 and 100% at the end position of the pseudo clutch pedal 26. In the clutch model MOD12, a torque transmission gain is given to the clutch opening. The torque transmission gain is converted into the clutch torque capacity of the virtual clutch, that is, the virtual clutch torque capacity. Then, based on the comparison between the virtual clutch torque capacity and the virtual engine torque calculated by the engine model MOD11, the virtual clutch torque input from the virtual clutch to the virtual transmission is calculated. Also, in the clutch model MOD12, the value obtained by subtracting the torque transmission gain from 1 is calculated as the slip ratio. The slip ratio is used in the calculation of the virtual engine speed in the engine model MOD11.

[0043] When the paddle shift mode is selected as the shift mode, the clutch opening input to the clutch model MOD12 is calculated using the clutch operation model. Also, when the clutchless stick shift mode is selected as the shift mode, the clutch opening input to the clutch model MOD12 is calculated using the clutch operation model. The clutch operation model is a model that simulates the clutch operation of an exemplary driver. When the paddle shift mode is selected, the vehicle speed, the virtual engine speed, and the signal from the paddle shift switch 15 are input to the clutch operation model. When the clutchless stick shift mode is selected, the vehicle speed, the virtual engine speed, and the signal from the shift position sensor 14 are input to the clutch operation model.

[0044] The signals from the paddle shift switch 15 and the shift position sensor 14 are used to measure the timing of the clutch operation. When the driver's shift operation is detected by the signals from the paddle shift switch 15 or the shift position sensor 14, in the clutch operation model, the clutch opening is maximized to disengage the virtual clutch. The vehicle speed and the virtual engine speed are used in the calculation of the clutch opening. In the clutch operation model, the clutch opening is calculated based on the rotational speed difference between the rotational speed of the input shaft of the virtual transmission calculated from the vehicle speed and the virtual engine speed so as to smoothly match them.

[0045] The transmission model MOD13 calculates a virtual gear ratio. The virtual gear ratio is the gear ratio determined by the virtual shift position in the virtual transmission. The virtual gear ratio is set for each shift position. The maximum virtual gear ratio is set for the first gear, and the virtual gear ratio is decreased in the order of the second gear, the third gear, the fourth gear, ···. In the stick shift mode, the shift position is associated one-to-one with the signal of the shift position sensor 14. In the paddle shift mode, when the upshift signal of the paddle shift switch 15 is received, the shift position is shifted up by one step, and when the downshift signal of the paddle shift switch 15 is received, the shift position is shifted down by one step. Note that in the pseudo H-type shifter 24, the number of shift positions is physically determined, while there is no physical constraint on the number of shift positions for the pseudo paddle shifter 25. Therefore, the transmission model MOD13 may be made different between the stick shift mode and the paddle shift mode, and the number of shift positions in the paddle shift mode may be made larger than the number of shift positions in the stick shift mode.

[0046] Transmission model MOD13 calculates virtual transmission torque using a virtual gear ratio and virtual clutch torque. The virtual transmission torque is virtual torque output from the virtual transmission. The control device 101 controls inverters 3F and 3R so that the output torques of electric motors 4F and 4R change according to the virtual transmission torque. The virtual transmission torque changes discontinuously according to the switching of the virtual gear ratio. This discontinuous change in the virtual transmission torque generates a torque shock in the electric vehicle 100, producing the feel of a vehicle equipped with a stepped transmission.

[0047] Vehicle model MOD01 calculates drive wheel torque from the virtual transmission torque and the reduction ratio. When the four-wheel drive mode is selected as the drive mode, the drive wheel torque is the sum of the torques acting on the left and right front wheels 6F and the left and right rear wheels 6R. The torque distribution to the front wheels 6F and the rear wheels 6R can be fixed, or can be actively or passively changed. When the rear-wheel drive mode is selected as the drive mode, the drive wheel torque is the sum of the torques acting on the left and right rear wheels 6R.

[0048] In process P132, the torque of the front electric motor 4F (front motor torque) in the manual mode is calculated by multiplying the drive wheel torque calculated in process P131 by the torque distribution ratio to the front wheels 6F and the reduction ratio from the output shaft of the front electric motor 4F to the front wheels 6F. The control device 101 controls the front inverter 3F so as to generate the front motor torque calculated in process P132 in the front electric motor 4F.

[0049] In process P133, the torque of the rear electric motor 4R (rear motor torque) in the manual mode is calculated by multiplying the drive wheel torque calculated in process P131 by the torque distribution ratio to the rear wheels 6R and the reduction ratio from the output shaft of the rear electric motor 4R to the rear wheels 6R. The control device 101 controls the rear inverter 3R so as to generate the rear motor torque calculated in process P133 in the rear electric motor 4R.

[0050] In addition, in the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the battery management system 10 and the brake pedal stroke sensor 13 are not necessarily required for the above-described driving control. However, when the switching of the control mode affects the SOC of the battery 2, the signal of the battery management system 10 may be used as information for determining whether or not to switch the control mode. Further, in a case where the operation method of the electric vehicle 100 changes significantly, such as the switching between the automatic mode and the manual mode, the fact that the brake pedal 23 is depressed may be used as a condition for switching. In that case, the signal of the brake pedal stroke sensor 13 can be used as information for determining that the brake pedal 23 is depressed.

[0051] 5. Sound control of electric vehicle FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a control device 101 related to the sound control of the electric vehicle 100. When one or a plurality of sound control programs 104 stored in the memory 103 are executed by the processor 102, the processor 102 functions as a sound control device. The processor 102 functioning as a torque control device and the processor 102 functioning as a sound control device may be separate processors or the same processor.

[0052] The control device 101 as a sound control device can generate an artificially generated sound from the in-vehicle speaker 21. One of the artificial sounds is a pseudo engine sound imitating the engine sound in a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle. When a control mode signal indicating that the manual mode has been selected from the HMI 20 is input, the control device 101 as a sound control device executes process P140. In process P140, a pseudo engine sound is generated based on the virtual engine torque and the virtual engine speed calculated in process P131.

[0053] In process P140, the engine sound selected by the HMI 20 is used as the sound source of the pseudo engine sound generated from the in-vehicle speaker 21. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the engine sound selected from among an inline 4 supercharged engine, a flat 6 engine, and a V12 engine is used as the sound source of the pseudo engine sound. However, in process P140, the sound of the sound source is not used as it is. In process P140, for example, the sound pressure of the sound source is changed by an amplifier, and for example, the frequency of the sound source is changed by a frequency modulator.

[0054] Process P140 includes a process P141 for calculating the engine sound pressure and a process P142 for calculating the engine sound frequency. In process P141, the sound pressure of the pseudo engine sound is calculated from the virtual engine torque using the sound pressure map M11. The sound pressure map M11 is created such that the sound pressure increases as the virtual engine torque increases. In process P142, the frequency of the pseudo engine sound is calculated from the virtual engine speed using the frequency map M12. The frequency map M12 is created such that the frequency increases as the virtual engine speed increases. The virtual engine torque and the virtual engine speed change according to the driver's accelerator operation, shift operation, and clutch operation. By changing the sound pressure and frequency of the pseudo engine sound according to the changing virtual engine torque and virtual engine speed, a sense of reality can be given to the driver as if driving a real manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle.

[0055] As described above, the driver of the electric vehicle 100 can experience the operation of a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle in the electric vehicle 100 by operating the HMI 20 to switch the control mode to the manual mode. Consider making more effective use of such an electric vehicle 100.

[0056] 6. First utilization example 6-1. Automatic setting of control mode according to driver In the first application example, when the electric vehicle 100 is started, a control mode corresponding to the driver is automatically set. The control device 101 automatically sets the control mode using the association information. FIG. 6 shows an example of the association information 106 used by the control device 101 for automatically setting the control mode. The association information 106 is stored in the memory 103.

[0057] The association information 106 is information that associates one or more driver candidates who may drive the electric vehicle 100 with the control mode. In the example of FIG. 6, three driver candidates, namely Person A, B, and C, are registered, and appearance information is registered as information for identifying each of them. Also, for each driver candidate, either the automatic mode or the manual mode is registered as the control mode selected when the driver candidate last boarded the vehicle.

[0058] The association information 106 is updated by the control device 101 each time the electric vehicle 100 is driven by a driver. For example, assume that Person B registered as a driver candidate boards the electric vehicle 100 as a driver and drives in the manual mode. Then, after the driving by Person B ends, the control device 101 updates the association information 106, and the state is such that Person B is associated with the manual mode as shown in FIG. 6.

[0059] Regarding the driver candidates registered in the association information 106, they may be automatically updated by the control device 101. For example, when there is a person who newly boards the driver's seat of the electric vehicle 100, the control device 101 recognizes the person based on the image captured by the in-vehicle camera 27. And if the person is not included in the driver candidates already registered in the association information 106, the person may be registered in the association information 106 as a new driver candidate together with the appearance information and the control mode selected by the person. Alternatively, the automatic update of the driver candidates may not be performed, and only the persons registered by the vehicle occupants from the HMI 20 may be registered as driver candidates.

[0060] 6-2. Example of Processing The control device 101 automatically sets the control mode with reference to the association information 106. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the process related to the automatic setting of the control mode by the control device 101. The series of processes shown in FIG. 7 is realized by one or more programs 104 stored in the memory 103 being executed by the processor 102.

[0061] When the electric vehicle 100 is started, the control device 101 starts a series of processes. According to the flowchart shown in FIG. 7, first, in step S101, the control device 101 recognizes the driver who has newly boarded the electric vehicle 100. The control device 101 can obtain a camera image obtained by the in-vehicle camera 27 capturing the driver, and recognize the driver through biometric authentication such as face authentication or iris authentication by image analysis of the camera image.

[0062] When the driver is recognized, step S102 is executed. In step S102, the control device 101 determines whether the driver who has newly boarded the electric vehicle 100 is included in the driver candidates registered in the association information 106. The control device 101 can determine whether a new driver is included in the driver candidates by comparing the recognition result in step S101 with the appearance information registered in the association information 106.

[0063] If the new driver is not included in the driver candidates, the series of processes ends. On the other hand, if the new driver is included in the driver candidates, step S103 is executed. In step S103, the control device 101 switches the control mode so that it becomes the control mode associated with the new driver. For example, if it is determined that the new driver is person A, the automatic mode is started.

[0064] At this time, the driver may be notified by the display of the HMI 20 that the control mode has been automatically set. Note that after the control device 101 switches the control mode, the driver can also switch the control mode according to his own will.

[0065] Also, the linking information 106 shown in FIG. 6 is just an example. For example, fingerprint information, finger vein information, voiceprint information, etc. may be used as biometric authentication information. When using fingerprint information or finger vein information as the linking information 106, an authentication sensor may be provided in the HMI 20, and a new driver who gets into the electric vehicle 100 may be instructed to touch the authentication sensor. When using voiceprint information as the linking information 106, the voice of a new driver may be acquired by the microphone of the HMI 20.

[0066] Also, the information registered for identifying driver candidates in the linking information 106 may be license information. In this case, the control device 101 can determine a new driver as follows, for example. The control device 101 instructs the HMI 20 to direct a new driver who gets into the electric vehicle 100 to hold up their license. Then, the license information is obtained by imaging and analyzing the license presented by the driver with the in-vehicle camera 27. Then, by comparing the obtained license information with the license information registered in the linking information 106, it can be determined whether the new driver is one of the driver candidates or not included in the driver candidates. Alternatively, the identification information may be an ID number. In this case, the determination of a new driver is performed as follows, for example. When the electric vehicle 100 is started, a screen for inputting an ID number is displayed on the HMI 20. Then, by comparing the ID number input by the new driver with the ID number registered in the linking information 106, it can be determined whether the new driver is included in the driver candidates.

[0067] 6-3. Setting of Detailed Control Modes The manual mode includes various more detailed modes. That is, a driver who selects the manual mode can freely combine the options OP210 - OP250 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle simulated by the electric vehicle 100 are determined by the settings for the detailed modes included in the manual mode, that is, the combination of the selection results for the options OP210 - OP250. When the control mode linked to the driver candidate in the linking information 106 is the manual mode, information about the settings of the detailed modes may be further registered in the linking information 106 in a state linked to the driver candidate.

[0068] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of such linking information 106. In the example of FIG. 8, for persons B and C, in addition to the previously selected control mode being the manual mode, the previous selection results for the options OP210 - OP250 are registered as the linking information 106. The control device 101 may set the control mode so that the previous settings are followed for these settings as well.

[0069] Even when the linking information 106 includes information about the setting of the detailed mode, the processing by the control device 101 can be represented by a flowchart similar to that in FIG. 7. However, when the control mode linked to the driver candidate is the manual mode, in step S103, in addition to switching to the manual mode, the control device 101 further switches to the settings linked to the driver candidate for the shift mode, engine characteristics, drive mode, and suspension characteristics, which are more detailed modes. Note that it is not necessary for all of the shift mode, engine characteristics, drive mode, and suspension characteristics to follow the previous settings, and the previous settings may be followed for any one or two or more of the shift mode, engine characteristics, drive mode, and suspension characteristics. For example, when person C newly gets into the electric vehicle 100, the control mode is switched to the manual mode, the shift mode is set to a stick shift with clutch operation, and the other modes may be set to the initial state. The initial state settings will be newly selected by the driver. Note that even if automatic settings are made for any or all of the shift mode, engine characteristics, drive mode, and suspension characteristics, the driver can then arbitrarily change the settings.

[0070] 6-4. Update of Linking Information As described above, the linking information registers the control mode that was set when the driver candidate last drove the electric vehicle 100. The control mode set when the driver candidate drove the electric vehicle 100 may be, for example, the control mode set at the following timing. For example, it may be the control mode set when the driver candidate finished driving the electric vehicle 100 and turned off the power of the electric vehicle 100, in other words, the control mode set from the end of driving to the time of turning off the power. Alternatively, the control mode first set when the driver candidate got into the electric vehicle 100 last time and activated the accessory power of the electric vehicle 100 may be registered in the linking information 106 as the previously selected control mode.

[0071] Also, the driver included in the driver candidates may be able to select whether to register the control mode at the time of this driving in the linking information 106. For example, when a driver who usually drives the electric vehicle 100 temporarily drives the electric vehicle 100 in a different control mode, after the driving is completed, it may be possible to select not to register the current control mode so that the current setting is not followed next time. The same applies to the detailed modes included in the manual mode.

[0072] 6-5. Effect In this way, by automatically setting the control mode according to the driver, the driver does not have to set the control mode every time he / she gets into the electric vehicle 100, and the convenience for the driver can be improved. In particular, since there are many options for determining the detailed modes included in the manual mode, the labor of the driver can be greatly saved by being automatically set. In this way, since the driver does not have to input the same setting every time he / she gets into the vehicle, the driver is liberated from the annoyance and can enjoy driving the electric vehicle 100 more comfortably. Also, even after the automatic setting of the control mode is performed, it is possible to change the setting according to the driver's intention. Since the setting can be input as usual when the driver wants to drive in a control mode different from the previous time, the advantage of the electric vehicle 100 that the driver can select a favorite mode is not impaired.

[0073] 6-6. Modification Example - Automatic Setting of Engine Sound The pseudo engine sound may also be generated even when the automatic mode is selected. Here, assuming that the pseudo engine sound can be generated even in the automatic mode, the automatic setting of the pseudo engine sound will be described. The driver can select from the HMI20 whether there is an engine sound or not, and if there is, the engine sound to be reproduced. When the presence of an engine sound is selected in the automatic mode, the selected engine sound is used as the sound source, and the sound pressure based on the virtual engine torque and the frequency based on the virtual engine speed are calculated in the same way as the sound control in the manual mode. In the automatic mode, the virtual engine torque is calculated to increase as the motor torque increases, for example. The virtual engine speed is calculated to increase in response to an increase in the wheel speed, for example. By generating the pseudo engine sound and reproducing it from the in-vehicle speaker 21, a sense of presence as if driving a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle can be given to the driver regardless of whether the pseudo shift operation member is operated or not.

[0074] The linking information 106 registers one or more driver candidates and at least the engine sound linked to each driver candidate. The engine sound linked to a driver candidate is the engine sound that the driver candidate selected last time. If the driver candidate selected no engine sound last time, the engine sound is not registered.

[0075] The processing by the control device 101 regarding the automatic setting of the engine sound can be represented by a flowchart similar to that in FIG. 7. However, in step S103, the control device 101 sets the engine sound linked to the driver who newly boarded the electric vehicle 100. Similarly in this example, the driver can save the trouble of setting the engine sound for each boarding, which is convenient for the driver.

[0076] 7. Second utilization example - Proposal of recommended settings In the electric vehicle 100, it is possible to select a manual mode and an automatic mode. Further, when the manual mode is selected in the electric vehicle 100, it is possible to simulate a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle having various characteristics. A large number of characteristics can be set only by the combinations of options illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the electric vehicle 100 may be able to select even more characteristics. This can improve the driver's enjoyment. On the other hand, when the number of options increases, a situation may occur in which the driver does not know which characteristic to select. In particular, when the driver is not familiar with the types of manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicles, he or she may be troubled because he or she does not know which vehicle characteristics are optimal.

[0077] Therefore, in the second utilization example, the electric vehicle 100 is provided with a proposal function for the driver. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the control device 101. The recommendation unit 107 included in the control device 101 makes proposals to the driver regarding the control mode and vehicle characteristics. The function of the recommendation unit 107 is realized by one or a plurality of programs 104 stored in the memory 103 being executed by the processor 102.

[0078] The recommendation unit 107 acquires driver information and route information from the HMI 20. For example, the driver inputs the driving experience of a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle and the number of times of driving the electric vehicle 100 to the HMI 20, and this is acquired as driver information. The route information is information about the route that the driver plans to drive in this driving. The driving route may be directly input to the HMI 20 by the driver, or may be calculated based on the destination input to the HMI 20 and the map information stored in the memory 103.

[0079] In the recommendation unit 107, the control mode and characteristics optimal for the driver are selected based on the driver information or the route information, and are proposed to the driver as recommended settings. The proposal may include a proposal regarding the selection of the automatic mode or the manual mode, or may include a proposal regarding the setting of a more detailed mode in the manual mode.

[0080] The proposal may be made at the timing when the driver starts driving. For example, the recommendation unit 107 acquires driver information from the HMI 20 when the driver starts driving. Then, for a driver who is not accustomed to operating a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle, a relatively easy-to-drive setting within the manual mode may be proposed. For example, a shift mode that does not require clutch operation such as paddle shift mode or clutch operationless stick shift mode may be proposed, or an option with flat engine characteristics may be proposed. Conversely, for a driver who is accustomed to operating a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle, a setting for advanced users may be proposed. For example, a stick shift mode with clutch operation or engine characteristics with peaky features may be proposed.

[0081] Also, as the driver information, information input by the driver himself / herself from the HMI 20 may be acquired, or information stored in the memory 103 or an external server may be used. For example, the driving history of each driver may be accumulated in the server. The recommendation unit 107 acquires an image captured by the in-vehicle camera 27 at the start of driving to recognize the driver, and reads the driving history of the driver from the server. The recommendation unit 107 proposes a control mode and vehicle characteristics suitable for the driving history to the driver. The driving history includes the driving distance and driving time in each control mode and vehicle characteristics. The driving history may include, for example, the driving distance in the clutch operationless stick shift mode and the driving distance in the stick shift mode with clutch operation. In this case, the recommendation unit 107 may propose a shift mode according to the result of comparing the respective driving distances to the driver. Also, the driving skill of the driver may be determined from the driving history, and the content proposed may be made different before and after the driving skill reaches a certain level. For example, settings for beginners and intermediate users may be proposed until the driving skill reaches a certain level, and the proposal of settings for advanced users may be lifted when the driving skill reaches a certain level.

[0082] In addition, the proposal of the control mode may be made during driving, and the driver information may be acquired based on the image of the in-vehicle camera 27. For example, while the driver is driving the electric vehicle 100 in the manual mode, the recommendation unit 107 acquires an image of the driver from the in-vehicle camera 27, and determines the driver's fatigue level from the movement of the driver's eyeballs and eyelids. Since known techniques can be used as such a method for determining the driver's fatigue level, the details are omitted. Then, based on the information indicating the driver's fatigue level, a switch to the automatic mode is proposed when the fatigue level is high.

[0083] In addition, examples of the proposal based on the route information are as follows. The recommendation unit 107 acquires the route information at the start of driving and recommends vehicle characteristics suitable for the planned route. For example, when the planned route includes many uphill slopes, the four-wheel drive mode may be proposed as the driving mode so that powerful driving can be performed. Alternatively, when the planned route is a route with many corners, the rear-wheel drive mode may be proposed as the driving mode.

[0084] According to the electric vehicle 100 in the second utilization example, a control mode and vehicle characteristics suitable for the planned route, the driver's state, and skills are proposed to the driver. Therefore, even a driver who is not familiar with the differences in the characteristics of a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle will not be troubled about which control mode and characteristics to select. For a skilled driver, the possibility of selecting a more situation-appropriate mode is increased by accepting the proposal. In this way, the driver's sense of security and ease of driving can be enhanced.

[0085] Furthermore, the recommendation unit 107 may acquire road traffic information and weather information including traffic jam information, and propose a control mode and vehicle characteristics based on such information. For example, when traffic jams are expected on the planned route, a paddle shift mode or a clutch operation-less stick shift mode may be proposed. Also, when an accident has occurred on the planned route, an automatic mode may be proposed so that the driver can drive with confidence. When snowfall is expected, a four-wheel drive mode may be proposed as the driving mode, and a low and medium rotation type may be proposed as the engine characteristics.

[0086] 8. Other Embodiments As another configuration of the electric vehicle 100, it may be provided with only the pseudo H-type shifter 24 and the pseudo clutch pedal 26 without the pseudo paddle shifter 25. Also, as another configuration of the electric vehicle 100, it may be provided with only the pseudo paddle shifter 25 without the pseudo H-type shifter 24 and the pseudo clutch pedal 26. Furthermore, as another configuration of the electric vehicle 100, it may be provided with only the pseudo H-type shifter 24 without the pseudo paddle shifter 25 and the pseudo clutch pedal 26.

[0087] The electric vehicle 100 is equipped with electric motors 4F and 4R at the front and rear, but it may be equipped with only one of them. Also, the electric vehicle 100 is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that runs on electricity stored in the battery 2, but the electric vehicle of the present disclosure may be any electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source. Therefore, the electric vehicle of the present disclosure is also applicable to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV).

Description of Reference Numerals

[0088] 2 Battery, 3F Front Inverter, 3R Rear Inverter, 4F Front Electric Motor, 4R Rear Electric Motor, 5F Front Drive Shaft, 5R Rear Drive Shaft, 6F Front Wheel, 6R Rear Wheel, 7F Front Suspension, 7R Rear Suspension, 10 Battery Management System, 11 Vehicle Speed Sensor, 12 Accelerator Pedal Stroke Sensor, 13 Brake Pedal Stroke Sensor, 14 Shift Position Sensor, 15 Paddle Shift Switch, 16 Clutch Pedal Stroke Sensor, 18 GPS, 20 HMI, 21 In-vehicle Speaker, 22 Accelerator Pedal, 23 Brake Pedal, 24 Pseudo H-type Shifter, 25 Pseudo Paddle Shifter, 26 Pseudo Clutch Pedal, 27 In-vehicle Camera, 100 Electric Vehicle, 101 Control Device, 102 Processor, 103 Memory, 104 Program, 105 Data, 106 Linkage Information, 107 Recommendation Unit

Claims

1. An electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source and including a plurality of controllable modes that can be selected by a driver, a driving operation member used for driving the electric vehicle, a pseudo-shifting operation member imitating an operation member used for shifting operation of a manually-shifted internal combustion locomotive, and a control device configured to control the electric vehicle according to an operation of the driving operation member, wherein the plurality of controllable modes include a manual mode in which an operation of the pseudo-shifting operation member is associated with torque of the electric motor, and an automatic mode in which the operation of the pseudo-shifting operation member is not associated with the torque of the electric motor, the control device includes a storage device configured to store association information in which one or more driver candidates are registered in association with the controllable modes, when starting the electric vehicle, determines whether a new driver who has boarded the electric vehicle is included in the one or more driver candidates, and when the new driver is included in the one or more driver candidates, starts the controllable mode associated with the new driver. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controllable mode associated with the new driver is the controllable mode selected by the new driver when the new driver last drove the electric vehicle. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the controllable mode selected by the new driver when the new driver last drove the electric vehicle is the controllable mode set between when the new driver last drove the electric vehicle and when the power of the electric vehicle is turned off, or the controllable mode set when the new driver last boarded the electric vehicle and activated the accessory power supply of the electric vehicle. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein in the manual mode, characteristics of the manually-shifted internal combustion locomotive simulated by the electric vehicle are determined according to settings related to detailed modes selectable by the driver, the association information further includes information about settings related to the detailed modes associated with the one or more driver candidates, and the control device is further configured to set the detailed mode to the setting associated with the new driver when the new driver is associated with the manual mode when starting the electric vehicle. ​ An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

5. In the electric vehicle according to claim 4, the setting related to the detailed mode is a selection result or a combination of selection results of options related to any one or more of engine characteristics, engine sound, drive mode, and suspension characteristics An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

6. In the electric vehicle according to claim 4, the setting related to the detailed mode is a selection result or a combination of selection results of options related to any one or more of shift mode, engine characteristics, engine sound, drive mode, and suspension characteristics An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

7. In the electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the driving operation member includes an accelerator pedal, the pseudo-shift operation member includes a pseudo-H-type shifter that simulates the H-type shifter of a manual transmission, and a pseudo-clutch operation device that simulates a clutch operation device. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

8. In the electric vehicle according to claim 7, the control device is configured to change the torque of the electric motor according to the shift position selected by the pseudo-H-type shifter, the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch operation device, and the operation amount of the accelerator pedal in the control mode. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

9. In the electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the driving operation member includes an accelerator pedal, the pseudo-shift operation member includes a pseudo-sequential shifter that simulates the sequential shifter of a manual transmission. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

10. In the electric vehicle according to claim 9, the control device is configured to change the torque of the electric motor according to the shift position selected by the pseudo-sequential shifter and the operation amount of the accelerator pedal in the control mode. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

11. In the electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the driving operation member includes an accelerator pedal, the pseudo-shift operation member includes a pseudo-H-type shifter that simulates the H-type shifter of a manual transmission. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

12. In the electric vehicle according to claim 11, In the control mode, the control device is configured to change the torque of the electric motor according to the shift position selected by the pseudo H-type shifter and the operation amount of the accelerator pedal. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

13. In the electric vehicle according to claim 6, The driving operation member includes an accelerator pedal, The pseudo shift operation member includes A pseudo H-type shifter that simulates the H-type shifter of a manual transmission, A pseudo clutch operation device that simulates a clutch operation device, A pseudo sequential shifter that simulates the sequential shifter of a manual transmission, and includes The detailed mode is A mode in which the torque of the electric motor is changed according to the shift position selected by the pseudo H-type shifter, the operation amount of the pseudo clutch operation device, and the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, a mode in which the torque of the electric motor is changed according to the shift position selected by the pseudo sequential shifter and the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, and a mode in which the torque of the electric motor is changed according to the shift position selected by the pseudo H-type shifter and the operation amount of the accelerator pedal. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

14. An electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source, A speaker that outputs sound in the vehicle, A control device configured to generate a pseudo engine sound and output the pseudo engine sound from the speaker, The pseudo engine sound is generated based on any one of a plurality of sound sources according to the selection of the driver, The control device Includes a storage device that stores association information in which one or more driver candidates are associated with the sound source, When starting the electric vehicle, Determining whether a new driver who has boarded the electric vehicle is included in the one or more driver candidates, When the new driver is included in the one or more driver candidates, setting the sound source associated with the new driver as the sound source for generating the pseudo engine sound. An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

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