Electric vehicles and programs

Abstract

This electric vehicle replicates the behavior of a gasoline-powered car with manual gear shifting, giving the driver the feeling of driving a gasoline car with manual gear changes. [Solution] The electric vehicle is configured to allow switching of the output characteristics of the electric motor in multiple stages, and includes a control device that switches the output characteristics of the electric motor according to the shift position, and a shifter used for the driver to select the shift position. The control device has a manual operation mode that accepts the selection of a shift position by manual operation of the shifter. When driving in manual operation mode, the control device automatically downshifts the shift position when the vehicle speed or motor rotation speed meets predetermined conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle configured to be able to switch the output characteristics of an electric motor in multiple stages. More specifically, it relates to an electric vehicle capable of traveling in a manual operation mode that accepts selection of a shift position by manual operation of a shifter. The present disclosure also relates to a program executable by an in-vehicle computer suitable for use in an electric vehicle equipped with a shifter.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for providing a sequential shifter to a battery electric vehicle and changing the output characteristics of an electric motor in multiple stages in response to an operation of the sequential shifter. According to this technology, a driver can enjoy a driving feeling similar to that of an engine vehicle with a manual transmission in an electric vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There is a significant difference in the characteristics of the power plants between engine vehicles and electric vehicles. An internal combustion engine, which is the power plant of an engine vehicle, has difficulty maintaining rotation at extremely low speeds, whereas an electric motor, which is the power plant of an electric vehicle, can output a large torque even at extremely low speeds. Therefore, even at low speeds where a downshift is required to maintain the engine rotation speed in an engine vehicle, an electric vehicle can travel while maintaining the shift position on the high-speed side.

[0005] However, the ability to travel at low speeds while maintaining the shift position on the high-speed side may give a sense of discomfort to a driver accustomed to conventional engine vehicles.

[0006] This disclosure is made in view of the above-mentioned issues. One of the purposes of this disclosure is to reproduce the behavior of a gasoline engine vehicle with manual gear shifting in an electric vehicle, so that the driver can get the feeling that they are driving a gasoline engine vehicle with manual gear shifting. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This disclosure provides an electric vehicle for achieving the above objective. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the electric vehicle comprises a control device configured to switch the output characteristics of an electric motor in multiple stages according to the shift position, and a shifter used for the driver to select the shift position. The control device has a manual operation mode that accepts the selection of a shift position by manual operation of the shifter. When driving in manual operation mode, the control device automatically downshifts the shift position when the vehicle speed or motor rotation speed meets predetermined conditions.

[0008] Furthermore, this disclosure provides a program for achieving the above objectives. This program is executable on a computer installed in an electric vehicle equipped with a shifter. According to one aspect of this disclosure, the program is configured to cause the computer to perform the following actions: to switch the output characteristics of the electric motor in multiple stages according to the shift position; to enable the selection of a manual operation mode in an electric vehicle in which the shift position is switched according to the driver's manual operation of the shifter; and to automatically downshift the shift position when the vehicle speed or motor rotation speed meets predetermined conditions while driving in manual operation mode. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, even when driving in manual operation mode, where the shift position is selected by the driver manually operating the shifter, the shift position will be automatically downshifted if the vehicle speed or motor rotation speed meets predetermined conditions. This process reduces the likelihood that a driver accustomed to driving an engine-powered vehicle may feel uncomfortable with the mismatch between the shift position and the vehicle speed, and allows the driver to feel as if they are driving an engine-powered vehicle with manual gear changes. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows the configuration of the control system of an electric vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functions of the BEV-ECU. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows how to switch between operating modes. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart of the shift control performed in manual operation mode. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the difference in the meter display depending on whether or not automatic downshifting is enabled. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the relationship between speed and driving force for each shift position, which is achieved when automatic downshifting is performed in manual operation mode. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] 1. Configuration of the control system of an electric vehicle Figure 1 shows the configuration of the control system of an electric vehicle 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electric vehicle 100 is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that runs on electric energy stored in a battery. The control system of the electric vehicle 100 includes, as controlled objects, an electric motor 10 which is a power device for driving, a meter 11 which provides visual information to the driver, and a buzzer 12 and speaker 13 which provide auditory information to the driver. Furthermore, as a control device that controls these controlled objects, the electric vehicle 100 is equipped with a plurality of ECUs (Electronic Control Units) and an input device which inputs instructions from the driver to these ECUs. The ECUs include BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle)-ECU30, SBW (Shift By Wire)-ECU31, MM (Multi Media)-ECU32, MG (Motor Generator)-ECU33, meter-ECU34, and ASC (Active Sound Control)-ECU35. The input interface includes a shift range selector 20, a control mode selector switch 21, an accelerator pedal 22, a paddle shifter 23, and a multimedia system 24.

[0012] The shift range selector 20 is an input interface for the driver to select a shift range. Selectable shift ranges include, for example, parking range, reverse range, neutral range, and drive range. When the driver operates the shift range selector 20, a signal s1 corresponding to the position of the operating member of the shift range selector 20 is output from the shift range selector 20 to the SBW-ECU 31. The SBW-ECU 31 determines the shift range based on the input signal s1 and outputs a signal s2 containing information about the selected shift range to the BEV-ECU 30.

[0013] The control mode selector switch 21 is an input interface for switching the control mode of the electric vehicle 100 between automatic control mode and manual operation mode. The automatic control mode is a mode in which the electric motor 10 is controlled with normal output characteristics in response to output requests from the driver. The manual operation mode is a mode for operating the electric vehicle 100 like an engine vehicle with manual gear shifting. In manual operation mode, the output characteristics of the electric motor 10 can be switched in multiple stages by operating the paddle shifter 23, which will be described later. The control mode selector switch 21 may be an alternate switch or a momentary switch. When the driver operates the control mode selector switch 21, a signal s3 corresponding to the control mode specified by that operation is output from the control mode selector switch 21 to the BEV-ECU 30.

[0014] The accelerator pedal 22 is an input interface that acquires the amount of depression the driver makes when they press it, as the driver's acceleration request. When the driver presses the accelerator pedal 22, a signal s4 corresponding to the amount of depression is output from the accelerator pedal stroke sensor to the BEV-ECU 30.

[0015] The paddle shifter 23 is an input interface consisting of a pair of left and right paddles mounted on the steering wheel or steering column. When the driver pulls a paddle towards them, a signal s5 corresponding to the pulled paddle is output from the paddle shifter 23 to the BEV-ECU 30. When manual operation mode is selected, the paddle shifter 23 becomes an input interface for switching between multiple shift positions. However, the electric vehicle 100 does not have a physical transmission. The shift position referred to here is not the shift position of an actual transmission, but one of the parameters of the physical model used to calculate engine torque, as described later. In manual operation mode, the signal s5 output when the right paddle is pulled is a signal requesting an upshift, and the signal s5 output when the left paddle is pulled is a signal requesting a downshift. On the other hand, when automatic control mode is selected, the paddle shifter 23 becomes an input interface for switching between multiple regenerative braking strengths. In automatic control mode, when the right paddle is pulled, signal s5 is output to request a reduction in regenerative braking, and when the left paddle is pulled, signal s5 is output to request an increase in regenerative braking.

[0016] The multimedia system 24 is an input interface equipped with a touchscreen that displays various information such as navigation and audio settings and accepts touch operations from the driver. The driver can make various settings for the electric vehicle 100 by operating the touchscreen. When the driver operates the touchscreen, a signal s6 corresponding to the operation is output from the multimedia system 24 to the MM-ECU 32. The MM-ECU 32 determines the setting requested by the driver based on the input signal s6. If the setting requested by the driver is a driving mode, the MM-ECU 32 outputs a signal s7 containing information about the driving mode selected by the driver to the BEV-ECU 30. The driving mode can be set in manual operation mode, and the driver can select a driving mode that suits their preference from among several driving modes. If the setting requested by the driver is to turn the speaker 13 on / off or the volume, the MM-ECU 32 outputs a signal s8 containing information about turning the speaker 13 on / off or the volume to the ASC-ECU 35.

[0017] The BEV-ECU30 calculates the torque (hereinafter referred to as motor torque) to be output by the electric motor 2 based on the input signals s2, s3, s4, s5, and s7. However, in addition to these signals, other information, including at least the vehicle speed, is also used in the calculation of motor torque. The vehicle speed is measured using speed sensors provided on each wheel. The BEV-ECU30 calculates the motor torque in a manner corresponding to the control mode specified by signal s3. In automatic control mode, the BEV-ECU30 calculates the motor torque mainly based on signal s4 and the vehicle speed. In manual operation mode, the BEV-ECU30 calculates the motor torque mainly based on signals s4, s5, s7, and the vehicle speed. Details of the motor torque calculation method in each control mode will be described later. The BEV-ECU30 outputs a signal s9 containing the motor torque information obtained in the calculation to the MG-ECU33. The MG-ECU33 generates a signal s12 for PWM control of the electric motor 10 based on signal s9, and controls the electric motor 10 with signal s12.

[0018] The BEV-ECU 30 outputs a signal s10 including information to be displayed on the meter 11 and a buzzer sounding request to the meter-ECU 34. The information to be displayed on the meter 11 includes, for example, the selected control mode, the shift position when the manual operation mode is selected, and the virtual engine speed. The virtual engine speed is one of the parameters of the physical model used for calculating the motor torque in the manual operation mode. The meter-ECU 34 generates a signal s13 for displaying this information and controls the meter 11 by the signal s13. The buzzer sounding request is output, for example, when notifying the driver of the timing of downshift or upshift. When the buzzer sounding request is included in the signal s10, the meter-ECU 34 generates a signal s14 and sounds the buzzer 14 by the signal s14.

[0019] The BEV-ECU 30 outputs a signal s11 including information used for generating a pseudo engine sound to the ASC-ECU 35. The pseudo engine sound is a sound simulating the exhaust sound of an engine vehicle emitted from the speaker 13 when the manual operation mode is selected. The information used for generating the pseudo engine sound includes, for example, the virtual engine speed, the virtual engine torque, and the virtual shift position. The virtual engine torque is one of the parameters of the physical model used for calculating the motor torque in the manual operation mode. The ASC-ECU 35 generates a signal s15 for generating a pseudo engine sound based on this information and controls the speaker 13 by the signal s15.

[0020] 2. Functions of the BEV-ECU Next, the functions of the BEV-ECU 30 will be described. The BEV-ECU 30 includes at least a processor (processing circuit) and a memory. The memory includes a RAM for temporarily recording data and a ROM for storing programs executable by the processor and various data related to the programs. The program is composed of a plurality of instructions. The processor reads the program and data from the memory, executes them, and generates a signal s9 output to the MG-ECU 33, a signal s10 output to the meter-ECU 34, and a signal s11 output to the ASC-ECU 35.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functions of the BEV-ECU 30. The BEV-ECU 30 has functions as a control mode switching unit 310, an automatic control mode parameter calculation unit 320, and a manual operation mode parameter calculation unit 330. These functions are realized by one or more programs stored in the memory of the BEV-ECU 30 being executed by the processor.

[0022] The control mode switching unit 310 switches the output control mode of the electric motor 10 with respect to the operation input from the driver. The control modes that can be switched by the control mode switching unit 310 are the aforementioned automatic control mode and manual operation mode. The control mode switching unit 310 switches the control mode according to the signal s3 input from the control mode switching switch 21.

[0023] When the control mode is switched to automatic control mode by the control mode switching unit 310, the BEV-ECU 30 functions as an automatic control mode parameter calculation unit 320. The automatic control mode parameter calculation unit 320 performs output control according to the shift range selected by the shift range selector 20. For example, when the selected shift range is the D range, the automatic control mode parameter calculation unit 320 obtains the accelerator opening from the signal s4 of the accelerator pedal 22 and the vehicle speed from the signal of a speed sensor (not shown). The automatic control mode parameter calculation unit 320 has a motor torque map that uses the accelerator opening and vehicle speed as parameters. The automatic control mode parameter calculation unit 320 calculates the motor torque to be generated by the electric motor 10 by inputting the accelerator opening and vehicle speed into the motor torque map, and outputs a signal s9 containing the calculated motor torque information to the MG-ECU 33.

[0024] When the control mode is switched to manual operation mode by the control mode switching unit 310, the BEV-ECU 30 functions as a manual operation mode parameter calculation unit 330. The manual operation mode parameter calculation unit 330 performs the process of calculating the drive wheel torque generated by the drive wheels and the process of calculating the motor torque based on the drive wheel torque.

[0025] The manual operation mode parameter calculation unit 330 calculates the drive wheel torque using a physical model of the engine vehicle. The physical model includes a virtual engine 331 that models the engine and a virtual transmission 332 that models a transmission capable of manual shifting. The virtual transmission 332 also includes a model of an automated clutch.

[0026] In the virtual engine 331, the relationship between virtual engine speed and virtual engine torque is defined for each accelerator opening. The speed-torque characteristics of the virtual engine 331 can be set to those of a gasoline engine, a diesel engine, a naturally aspirated engine, or a turbocharged engine. The virtual engine speed is calculated based on the virtual gear ratio calculated by the virtual transmission 332, the virtual reduction ratio from the virtual transmission 332 to the drive wheels, and the vehicle speed. The virtual engine torque calculated by the virtual engine 331 is input to the virtual transmission 332.

[0027] In the virtual transmission 332, a virtual gear ratio is set for each shift position. For example, if there are shift positions from 1st to 6th gear, the largest virtual gear ratio is set for 1st gear, and the virtual gear ratios decrease in the order of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th gear. The virtual transmission torque is calculated using the virtual gear ratio calculated by the virtual transmission 332 and the virtual engine torque input from the virtual engine 331. The manual operation mode parameter calculation unit 330 calculates the drive wheel torque from the virtual transmission torque and reduction ratio.

[0028] The manual operation mode parameter calculation unit 330 calculates the motor torque by multiplying the drive wheel torque by the actual reduction ratio from the output shaft of the electric motor 10 to the drive wheel, and outputs a signal s9 containing the calculated motor torque information to the MG-ECU 33. However, if the electric vehicle 100 is equipped with electric motors 10 on both the front and rear wheel sides, the manual operation mode parameter calculation unit 330 calculates the motor torque of the front electric motor based on the torque distribution of the drive wheel torque to the front wheel, and calculates the motor torque of the rear electric motor based on the torque distribution of the drive wheel torque to the rear wheel.

[0029] 3. Operating modes and how to switch between them The electric vehicle 100 has an automatic control mode and a manual operation mode as control modes, and also has multiple driving modes that can be set in manual operation mode. Figure 3 shows the relationship between the control mode and the driving mode, and the method by which the driver switches between driving modes.

[0030] First, a driving mode is a vehicle setting that can be switched to optimize the behavior of the electric vehicle 100 as an engine-powered vehicle according to the driver's preference. In this embodiment, three driving modes are available: Normal mode, Comfort mode, and Sport mode. Normal mode is a standard driving mode, where, for example, a balance of fuel efficiency, comfort, and performance is emphasized. Comfort mode is a driving mode that emphasizes ride comfort, where, for example, the suspension and steering are set to be softer. Sport mode is a driving mode that emphasizes responsiveness, where, for example, the accelerator response is enhanced and the steering response is set to be more sensitive. Furthermore, as will be described later, the shift control in manual operation mode is also changed according to the driving mode.

[0031] The driving mode can be selected when manual operation mode is selected by operating the control mode switch 21. When manual operation mode is selected, the driving mode can be selected on the touchscreen of the multimedia system 24. The default driving mode when switching from automatic control mode to manual operation mode is normal mode. The driver can switch between normal mode, comfort mode, and sport mode by touching the touchscreen.

[0032] 4. Shift control in manual operation mode The manual operation mode allows the driver to enjoy a driving experience similar to that of a gasoline-powered car with manual gear changes by operating the paddle shifter 23 to switch the shift position themselves. However, due to the output characteristics of the electric motor 10, the electric vehicle 100 can maintain the shift position even in situations where a gasoline-powered car would require downshifting. If the electric vehicle can maintain a high-speed shift position while driving at low speeds, drivers accustomed to conventional gasoline-powered cars may feel uncomfortable. Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to suppress the unnatural behavior of a gasoline-powered car caused by the difference in output characteristics between the electric motor 10 and the internal combustion engine, the BEV-ECU 30 performs the following shift control in manual operation mode.

[0033] Figure 4 is a flowchart of the shift control performed by the BEV-ECU30 in manual operation mode. The BEV-ECU30 repeatedly executes the routine shown in this flowchart at a fixed control cycle.

[0034] In step S101, it is determined whether the virtual engine speed (virtual Ne) is lower than a predetermined lower limit. The lower limit of the virtual engine speed is set near the lower limit of the engine speed at which a typical engine can maintain combustion, for example, the engine speed at which knocking begins. The virtual engine speed calculated using the virtual engine 331 and virtual transmission 332 depends on the vehicle speed, and there is a certain relationship between the vehicle speed and the motor speed. Therefore, the determination in step S101 is equivalent to determining whether the vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined lower limit, or whether the motor speed is lower than a predetermined lower limit. However, if the determination is made using the vehicle speed or motor speed instead of the virtual engine speed, the lower limit is set for each shift position.

[0035] If the result of the determination in step S101 is Yes, the process proceeds to step S102. Since the manual operation mode is a mode in which the driver is entrusted with controlling the output of the electric motor 10, both upshifts and downshifts are basically achieved by the driver operating the paddle shifter 23 themselves. However, in step S102, an automatic downshift of the shift position is performed. The automatic downshift is performed in such a way that the virtual engine speed is increased to above the lower limit. Therefore, the shift position after the automatic downshift depends on the vehicle speed. After the execution of step S102, this routine is terminated.

[0036] If the result of the determination in step S101 is No, the process proceeds to step S103. In step S103, it is determined whether the virtual engine rotation speed is higher than a predetermined upper limit. The upper limit of the virtual engine rotation speed is set to match the rev limit of a typical engine. If the virtual engine rotation speed falls below the lower limit, an automatic downshift is performed regardless of the currently selected driving mode. If the virtual engine rotation speed rises above the upper limit, the processing is changed according to the currently selected driving mode. Note that, as with the determination in step S101, the vehicle speed or motor rotation speed may be used instead of the virtual engine rotation speed for the determination. If the result of the determination in step S103 is No, this routine terminates.

[0037] If the result of the determination in step S103 is Yes, the process proceeds to step S104. In step S104, it is determined whether the currently selected driving mode is sport mode or not. If sport mode is selected, the process proceeds to step S105. Sport mode is manual upshift mode. When driving in manual upshift mode, upshifts are left to the driver's operation of the paddle shifter 23, regardless of the virtual engine speed, or the vehicle speed and motor speed. This allows the driver to continue to have the feeling of driving a car with a manually shiftable engine. After the execution of step S105, this routine ends.

[0038] If the result of the determination in step S104 is No, that is, if the currently selected driving mode is not sport mode, the process proceeds to step S106. In step S106, it is determined whether the currently selected driving mode is normal mode or not. If normal mode is selected, the process proceeds to step S107. Normal mode is automatic upshift mode. When driving in automatic upshift mode, an automatic upshift of the shift position is performed in response to the condition in step S103 being met. The automatic upshift is performed in such a way that the virtual engine speed is reduced to below the rev limit. After the execution of step S107, this routine terminates.

[0039] If the result of the determination in step S106 is No, that is, if the currently selected driving mode is Comfort mode, the process proceeds to step S108. Comfort mode is an automatic upshift mode, just like Normal mode. Normal mode is the first mode of automatic upshift mode, and Comfort mode is the second mode of automatic upshift mode. Automatic upshifting in Comfort mode has a lower shift response than automatic upshifting in Normal mode. Specifically, compared to automatic upshifting in Normal mode, the time taken to switch shift positions is increased, and the torque change rate before and after switching shift positions is kept low. After the execution of step S108, this routine terminates.

[0040] 5. Effects The effects obtained by the above-mentioned shift control performed by the BEV-ECU30, particularly the effects obtained by the automatic downshift, will be explained using Figure 5. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the difference in the display of the meter 11 with and without automatic downshift. The meter 11 displays the virtual engine speed and the shift position. The needle 120 of the meter 11 indicates the virtual engine speed, and the unit of the scale is 1000 rpm. The numbers in the window of the meter 11 indicate the shift position.

[0041] Display A shows the display on meter 11 when the vehicle decelerates while the shift position is in 4th gear, and the virtual engine speed indicated by the needle 120 falls below the lower limit (for example, 1200 rpm). Display B shows the display on meter 11 if no automatic downshift occurs, and Display C shows the display on meter 11 if an automatic downshift occurs immediately afterward.

[0042] If automatic downshifting does not occur, as shown in display B, the meter 11 will continue to display 4th gear as the shift position, while the virtual engine speed indicated by the needle 120 will continue to drop even further below the lower limit. In a gasoline-powered car, this situation would likely result in an engine stall, but an electric vehicle 100, powered by an electric motor 10, can continue to run without any problems. However, drivers accustomed to driving gasoline-powered cars may find the discrepancy between the shift position display and the virtual engine speed display jarring.

[0043] On the other hand, when an automatic downshift is performed, as shown in display C, the shift position displayed on the meter 11 is changed from 4th gear to 3rd gear, and the virtual engine speed indicated by the needle 120 is returned to a speed higher than the lower limit. By controlling the display of the meter 11 in this way, no inconsistency occurs between the display of the shift position and the display of the virtual engine speed. Furthermore, since the paddle shifter 23 is a momentary shifter, no inconsistency occurs between the state of the paddle shifter 23 and the shift position due to the automatic downshift. Therefore, the risk of drivers accustomed to gasoline engine vehicles feeling uncomfortable when an automatic downshift is performed is minimized.

[0044] Figure 6 shows the relationship between vehicle speed and driving force for each shift position, achieved by performing automatic downshifting in manual operation mode. Since the electric motor 10 can generate torque even at extremely low speeds, and even when stopped, if there are no restrictions, there is no lower limit to the vehicle speed range covered by each shift position. However, as described above, by performing automatic downshifting, a lower limit can be set for the vehicle speed range covered by each shift position, as shown in Figure 6, and the lower limit can be increased as the shift position increases. This makes the vehicle speed-driving force characteristics for each shift position closer to those of an engine-powered vehicle, thus reducing the risk of drivers accustomed to driving engine-powered cars feeling uncomfortable with the mismatch between shift position and vehicle speed. As a result, the driver can get the feeling of driving an engine-powered car with manual gear changes.

[0045] 7. Other The manual shift control in the electric vehicle used in this disclosure is not limited to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), but is broadly applicable to any electric vehicle having a manual operation mode configured to allow multi-stage switching of the motor's output characteristics by operating a momentary shifter such as a paddle shifter. For example, the shift control in this disclosure can be applied to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that have a mode in which they run solely on the driving force of the motor. Furthermore, the shift control in this disclosure can also be applied to fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) that supply electric energy generated by a fuel cell to the motor. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10 Electric motor, 11 Meter, 12 Buzzer, 13 Speaker, 20 Shift range selector, 21 Control mode switch, 22 Accelerator pedal, 23 Paddle shifter, 24 Multimedia system, 30 BEV-ECU, 31 SBW-ECU, 32 MM-ECU, 33 MG-ECU, 34 Meter-ECU, 35 ASC-ECU, 120 Needle, 310 Control mode switching unit, 320 Automatic control mode parameter calculation unit, 330 Manual operation mode parameter calculation unit, 331 Virtual engine, 332 Virtual transmission

Claims

1. An electric vehicle configured to allow switching between multiple levels of output characteristics of the electric motor, A control device that switches the output characteristics according to the shift position, A shifter used by the driver to select the aforementioned shift position, The control device has a manual operation mode that accepts the selection of the shift position by manual operation of the shifter, The control device, while driving in manual operation mode, automatically downshifts the shift position when the vehicle speed or motor rotation speed meets predetermined conditions. An electric vehicle characterized by the following features.

2. In the electric vehicle according to claim 1, During driving in manual operation mode, the control device will shift the shift position up only in response to manual operation of the shifter, regardless of the vehicle speed and motor rotation speed. An electric vehicle characterized by the following features.

3. In the electric vehicle according to claim 1, The aforementioned manual operation modes include manual upshift mode and automatic upshift mode. The control device is During driving in the manual upshift mode, the shift position is shifted up only in response to manual operation of the shifter, regardless of the vehicle speed and the motor rotation speed. During driving in the aforementioned automatic upshift mode, the shift position is automatically shifted up when the vehicle speed or motor rotation speed meets predetermined conditions. An electric vehicle characterized by the following features.

4. In the electric vehicle according to claim 3, The control device switches between the manual upshift mode and the automatic upshift mode based on the driver's selection. An electric vehicle characterized by the following features.

5. In the electric vehicle according to claim 3, The aforementioned automatic upshift mode includes a first mode and a second mode. The control device is During an upshift in the first mode, the torque change rate is increased compared to the upshift in the second mode to complete the upshift in a shorter time. During upshifts in the second mode, the torque change rate is reduced compared to upshifts in the first mode, and the upshift is completed over a longer period of time. An electric vehicle characterized by the following features.

6. In the electric vehicle according to claim 5, The control device switches between the first mode and the second mode based on the selection made by the driver. An electric vehicle characterized by the following features.

7. A program that can be executed on a computer installed in an electric vehicle equipped with a shifter, The output characteristics of the electric motor are switched in multiple stages depending on the shift position, To enable the selection of a manual operation mode in the electric vehicle in which the shift position is switched in response to manual operation of the shifter by the driver, During driving in the manual operation mode, the system is configured to automatically downshift the shift position when the vehicle speed or motor rotation speed meets predetermined conditions, and to have the computer perform this action. A program characterized by the following features.

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