Hybrid vehicle

Abstract

To provide a technique enabling suppression of shortage in a battery charge residual amount when a hybrid vehicle travels in a specific zone.SOLUTION: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle performs: obtaining a predicted travel route of the hybrid vehicle; specifying, from the predicted travel route, a specific section where an operation of an engine is limited; and selecting a travel mode by putting a battery charge residual amount in priority until the hybrid vehicle enters the specific section. The process of selecting the travel mode includes: setting, in the case of an end point of the predicted travel route being not included in the specific section, a target value for the charge residual amount on the basis of an estimated value of required energy necessary to travel through the specific section; setting, in the case of the end point of the predicted travel route being included in the specific section, the target value on the basis of another factor different from the required energy; and selecting and executing one of a plurality of travel modes so that the charge residual amount becomes or exceeds the set target value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to hybrid vehicles.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for estimating a driving route on which a vehicle travels. With this technology, even when the destination of the vehicle is unknown, the driving route can be estimated based on the current location and driving history of the vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The technology for estimating a driving route can also be effectively utilized in hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles can selectively execute a plurality of driving modes such as an EV driving mode and a hybrid driving mode. Here, the EV driving mode refers to a driving mode in which the vehicle travels with a motor while the engine is stopped, and the hybrid driving mode refers to a mode in which the vehicle travels with the engine and / or the motor while the engine is operating. Usually, the driving mode of a hybrid vehicle can be freely switched based on various conditions, thereby achieving high energy efficiency (so-called high fuel efficiency).

[0005] However, in recent years, in certain areas such as urban areas, there has been a movement to restrict the driving of vehicles with engines, such as mandating or strongly recommending the EV driving mode. When driving in such a specific area, hybrid vehicles are strongly required to drive in the EV driving mode and cannot freely switch the driving mode. The cruising range of the EV driving mode depends on the remaining charge of the battery, and the battery cannot be charged while driving within the specific area. Therefore, when a hybrid vehicle plans to drive in a specific area, it is necessary to increase the remaining charge of the battery in advance before the hybrid vehicle enters the specific area.

[0006] Regarding the above points, if the planned driving route of the hybrid vehicle is known in advance, it is possible to grasp in advance that the hybrid vehicle will drive in the specific area. Furthermore, by specifying the section (hereinafter referred to as the specific section) of the planned driving route that passes through the specific area, the remaining charge required for the battery can be accurately determined. At this time, by using the technology of estimating the driving route, even if the destination of the hybrid vehicle is unknown, the planned driving route of the hybrid vehicle can be established.

[0007] However, the range within which the driving route can be estimated is limited, and it is also assumed that the end point of the estimated planned driving route is located within the specific area. Alternatively, even when the planned driving route is established based on the destination, it is also assumed that the destination is set within the specific area. In these cases, the hybrid vehicle should continue to drive within the specific area even after the end point of the planned driving route. That is, the specific section included in the planned driving route is only a part of the section where the hybrid vehicle actually drives within the specific area, and based on such a specific section alone, the remaining charge required for the battery cannot be accurately determined. As a result, there is a risk of a situation where the remaining charge of the battery becomes insufficient while the hybrid vehicle is driving within the specific area.

[0008] In view of the above circumstances, the present specification provides a technology capable of suppressing a shortage of the remaining charge of a battery when a hybrid vehicle travels in a specific area.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0009] The hybrid vehicle disclosed in the present specification includes a motor and an engine for traveling, a battery that supplies driving power to the motor and is charged with the generated power by the motor, and a control device that controls the motor and the engine to selectively execute a plurality of traveling modes. The plurality of traveling modes include at least an EV traveling mode in which the motor travels while the engine is stopped, and a hybrid traveling mode in which the vehicle travels with the engine and / or the motor while the engine is operating.

[0010] The control device is capable of executing a process of acquiring a predicted travel route of the hybrid vehicle, a process of specifying a specific section in which the operation of the engine is restricted from the predicted travel route, and a process of preferentially selecting the travel mode based on the remaining charge of the battery until the hybrid vehicle enters the specific section. The process of selecting the travel mode includes a process of setting a target value for the remaining charge based on an estimated value of the required energy required to travel through the specific section when the end point of the predicted travel route is not included in the specific section, a process of setting the target value based on another index different from the required energy when the end point of the predicted travel route is included in the specific section, and a process of selecting and executing one of the plurality of travel modes so that the remaining charge becomes equal to or greater than the target value.

[0011] In the above hybrid vehicle, when the end point of the predicted driving route is not included in the specific section, a target value for the remaining charge is set based on the estimated value of the required energy to travel through the specific section. On the other hand, when the end point of the predicted driving route is included in the specific section, the target value is set based on another index different from the required energy. According to such a configuration, when the hybrid vehicle travels in the specific area, it is possible to suppress the remaining charge of the battery from becoming insufficient while traveling in the specific area regardless of whether the end point of the predicted driving route is included in the specific section or not.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present technology, the other index may be a predetermined value or a set value set by the user. According to such a configuration, even when the end point of the predicted driving route is included in the specific section, that is, when it is not possible to accurately obtain the remaining charge required for the battery, it is possible to effectively suppress the remaining charge of the battery from becoming insufficient while traveling in the specific area. Note that the predetermined value here is not limited to a single value, and different values may be prepared according to various conditions such as the geographical information of the specific section.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present technology, the process of selecting the driving mode may select and execute the hybrid driving mode instead of setting the target value when the end point of the predicted driving route is included in the specific section. In the hybrid driving mode, since the vehicle travels with the engine and / or the motor while operating the engine, the remaining charge of the battery can be maintained or increased. That is, prior to the hybrid vehicle proceeding to the specific area, the remaining charge of the battery can be increased in advance. According to such a configuration, when the hybrid vehicle travels in the specific area, even when the end point of the predicted driving route is included in the specific section, it is possible to suppress the remaining charge of the battery from becoming insufficient while traveling in the specific area.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] With reference to the drawings, the hybrid vehicle 10 of Example 1 will be described. The hybrid vehicle 10 of this example belongs to an electric vehicle having a motor for driving wheels, and is typically an electric vehicle (so-called automobile) that travels on a road surface. However, part or all of the technology described in this example can be similarly adopted for an electric vehicle that travels on a track. The hybrid vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body 12, a pair of front wheels 14 (one front wheel 14 is not shown) provided at the front of the vehicle body 12, and a pair of rear wheels 16 (one rear wheel 16 is not shown) provided at the rear of the vehicle body 12. Note that the specific configuration of the vehicle body 12 and the number of wheels provided on the hybrid vehicle 10 are not particularly limited. Further, the hybrid vehicle 10 is not limited to being driven and operated by a user, and may be remotely operated by an external device or may perform autonomous driving.

[0016] The hybrid vehicle 10 further includes an engine 18, a motor generator (hereinafter referred to as "motor") 20, and a battery 22. The engine 18 is connected to the rear wheels 16 (or the front wheels 14). The engine 18 is a heat engine that burns fuel to generate power, and is not particularly limited, but examples include a gasoline engine and a diesel engine.

[0017] The motor 20 is provided in the power transmission path between the engine 18 and the rear wheels 16 (or the front wheels 14). The motor 20 is positioned between the engine 18 and the rear wheels 16 and can function as a prime mover that drives the rear wheels 16 together with the engine 18. Further, the motor 20 can function not only as a prime mover but also as a generator. That is, the hybrid vehicle 10 can generate electricity by the motor 20 by driving the motor 20 with the engine 18. Alternatively, when deceleration is required, the hybrid vehicle 10 can perform regenerative braking of the rear wheels 16 by causing the motor 20 to function as a generator. Although not shown, a speed reducer or a clutch may be provided in the power transmission path between the engine 18 and the rear wheels 16 (or the front wheels 14) as required.

[0018] The battery 22 is a power supply device for the motor 20 and supplies driving power to the motor 20. The battery 22 has a plurality of secondary battery cells and is configured to be chargeable with the electric power generated by the motor 20. The secondary battery cells referred to here are not particularly limited and may be, for example, lithium ion batteries or nickel metal hydride battery cells. Although not shown, a power conversion device may be provided between the motor 20 and the battery 22 as required.

[0019] The hybrid vehicle 10 further includes a control device 24. The control device 24 is configured using a computer device and has a processor, a memory, and the like. The control device 24 is electrically connected to the motor 20 and the engine 18 and is configured to be able to control the operations thereof. Input to the control device 24 is, for example, operation information by the user and vehicle information indicating the state of the hybrid vehicle 10. The operation information is, for example, accelerator opening information indicating the operation amount of the accelerator pedal by the user and brake pedal force information indicating the operation amount of the brake by the user. The vehicle information is, for example, vehicle speed information indicating the speed of the hybrid vehicle 10 and battery information indicating the SOC (State Of Charge) of the battery 22. The control device 24 controls the operations of each part of the hybrid vehicle 10 described above according to the input operation information and vehicle information.

[0020] The control device 24 can selectively execute a plurality of driving modes including an EV driving mode and a hybrid driving mode. The EV driving mode is a driving mode in which the vehicle travels with the motor 20 while the engine 18 is stopped. On the other hand, the hybrid driving mode is a driving mode in which the vehicle travels by the engine 18 and / or the motor 20 while the engine 18 is operating. In the hybrid driving mode, the power output by the engine 18 can be supplied to each of the motor 20 and the wheels, and the vehicle can travel while generating electricity by the motor 20.

[0021] Normally, the driving mode of the hybrid vehicle 10 can be freely switched based on various conditions, thereby achieving high energy efficiency (so-called high fuel efficiency). However, in recent years, in a specific area such as an urban area, there has been a movement to restrict the driving of vehicles accompanied by the operation of the engine 18. As such a specific area, for example, a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) can be exemplified. LEZs are widely spread in various countries and regions, and the driving of, for example, diesel vehicles, trucks, classic cars, etc. is strongly regulated. In addition, in the future cities that have been developed in recent years and the surrounding areas of specific facilities such as hospitals or schools, they may be set as specific areas where the driving of vehicles accompanied by the operation of the engine 18 is restricted. Furthermore, the specific area referred to here includes those individually set by the user as an area where the user desires to drive in the EV mode, such as an area around the user's home.

[0022] When driving in such a specific area, for the hybrid vehicle 10 of this embodiment as well, driving in the EV driving mode is obligatory or strongly recommended, and the driving mode cannot be freely switched. The cruising distance in the EV driving mode depends on the remaining charge of the battery 22, and the battery 22 cannot be charged while driving within the specific area. Therefore, when the hybrid vehicle 10 plans to drive in a specific area, it is necessary to increase the remaining charge of the battery 22 in advance before the hybrid vehicle 10 proceeds to the specific area.

[0023] Regarding the above points, as shown in FIG. 2(A), if the planned travel route 2 of the hybrid vehicle 10 is known in advance, it is possible to grasp in advance that the hybrid vehicle 10 will travel in a specific area. Further, by specifying a section 4 (hereinafter referred to as a specific section 4) that travels in the specific area from the planned travel route 2, the remaining charge required for the battery 22 can be accurately obtained. At this time, if a technique for estimating a travel route (for example, Patent Document 1) is used, even if the destination of the hybrid vehicle 10 is unknown, the planned travel route of the hybrid vehicle 10 can be established.

[0024] However, as shown in FIG. 2(B), the range in which the travel route can be estimated is limited, and it is also assumed that the end point 2e of the estimated planned travel route 2 is located within the specific area. Alternatively, even when the planned travel route 2 is established based on the destination, it is also assumed that the destination is set within the specific area. In these cases, the hybrid vehicle 10 should further travel within the specific area even after the end point 2e of the planned travel route 2. That is, the specific section 4 included in the planned travel route 2 is only a part of the section where the hybrid vehicle 10 actually travels within the specific area, and it is not possible to accurately obtain the remaining charge required for the battery 22 only with such a specific section 4. As a result, a situation may occur in which the remaining charge of the battery 22 becomes insufficient while the hybrid vehicle is traveling within the specific area.

[0025] Regarding the above problems, in the hybrid vehicle 10 of this embodiment, the control device 24 is capable of executing a process of acquiring the predicted travel route 2 of the hybrid vehicle 10, a process of specifying a specific section 4 in which the operation of the engine 18 is restricted from the predicted travel route 2, and a process of preferentially selecting a travel mode based on the remaining charge of the battery 22 until the hybrid vehicle 10 enters the specific section 4. In the process of selecting this travel mode, as shown in FIG. 2(A), when the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 is not included in the specific section 4, a target value for the remaining charge is set based on an estimated value of the required energy needed to travel through the specific section 4. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2(B), when the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 is included in the specific section 4, the target value is set based on another index different from the required energy. Then, one of the plurality of travel modes is selected and executed so that the remaining charge becomes equal to or greater than the target value.

[0026] According to such a configuration, when the hybrid vehicle travels in a specific area, it is possible to suppress the remaining charge of the battery from becoming insufficient while traveling within the specific area, regardless of whether the end point of the predicted travel route is included in the specific section.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 2, an operation of the hybrid vehicle 10, specifically a specific example of a control operation executed by the control device 24, will be described. First, in step S10, the control device 24 determines whether the look-ahead data has been updated. The look-ahead data is information including the estimated predicted driving route 2 within a predetermined range. In addition to the predicted driving route 2, this look-ahead data may include information on specific areas existing on the predicted driving route 2, and information such as speed limits, distances, road types, and traffic jam information on the predicted driving route 2. Therefore, when the predicted driving route 2 is newly estimated and updated, the look-ahead data is also updated accordingly. Note that the specific area mentioned here is the area where the operation of the engine 18 is restricted, as described above. If the control device 24 determines that the look-ahead data has been updated (YES in step S10), it proceeds to the process of step S12. On the other hand, if the control device 24 determines that the look-ahead data has not been updated (NO in step S10), it proceeds to the process of step S14 without executing the process of step S12.

[0028] In step S12, the control device 24 acquires the updated look-ahead data.

[0029] In step S14, the control device 24 determines whether the support start condition is satisfied. The support start condition includes, for example, that the system of the control device 24 is normal, that the driver desires driving support (i.e., estimation of the predicted driving route and control based thereon), and that the hybrid vehicle 10 is located on a road where driving support is possible. If the control device 24 determines that the support start condition is satisfied (YES in step S14), it proceeds to the process of step S16. On the other hand, if the control device 24 determines that the support start condition is not satisfied (NO in step S14), it proceeds to the process of step S70 without executing the processes of steps S16 to S66. The details of the process of step S70 will be described later.

[0030] In step S16, the control device 24 refers to the acquired look-ahead data to determine whether there is a specific section 4 that travels through a specific area in the predicted travel route 2. When the control device 24 determines that there is a specific section 4 (YES in step S16), it proceeds to the process of step S18. On the other hand, when the control device 24 determines that there is no specific section 4 (NO in step S16), it proceeds to the process of step S70 without executing the processes of steps S18 to S66.

[0031] In step S18, the control device 24 determines whether route guidance is in progress. Route guidance in progress indicates a state in which a destination on the map has been set by the user and the route to the destination is being guided. That is, when route guidance is currently in progress, all of the future predicted travel routes 2 of the hybrid vehicle 10 are known. Therefore, the control device 24 can pre-grasp that the hybrid vehicle 10 will travel through a specific area in the future. When the control device 24 determines that route guidance is in progress (YES in step S18), it proceeds to the process of step S20. On the other hand, when the control device 24 determines that route guidance is not in progress (NO in step S18), it proceeds to the process of step S30.

[0032] In step S20, the control device 24 identifies the specific section 4 from among the predicted travel routes 2 during route guidance, and estimates the required energy E required to traverse the specific section 4 based on its distance, gradient, etc. Then, the control device 24 sets a target value A for the remaining charge required for the battery 22 based on the estimated required energy E.

[0033] On the one hand, in step S30, the control device 24 determines whether the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 that is not under route guidance is included in the specific section 4. As described above, since the range within which the control device 24 can estimate the travel route is limited, the end point 2e of the estimated planned travel route 2 may be located within the specific area. In this case, the hybrid vehicle 10 should further travel within the specific area even after the end point 2e of the planned travel route 2. That is, the specific section 4 included in the planned travel route 2 is only a part of the section where the hybrid vehicle 10 actually travels within the specific area, and with only such a specific section, the remaining charge required for the battery 22 cannot be accurately obtained. Therefore, when the control device 24 cannot accurately obtain the remaining charge required for the battery 22, that is, when it is determined that the end point of the predicted travel route is included within the specific section (YES in step S30), the target value B of the remaining charge is set to a predetermined value determined in advance or a set value set by the user (step S32). The predetermined value mentioned here is determined for each region based on, for example, the distance and gradient of the specific area in the region where the hybrid vehicle 10 travels. These predetermined values are not limited to a single value, and different values are prepared according to various conditions such as the geographical information of the specific section, for example.

[0034] On the other hand, when the control device 24 determines that the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 during route guidance is not included in the specific section 4 (NO in step S30), the specific section 4 can be accurately identified. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S20, and the target value A of the remaining charge required for the battery 22 is set based on the required energy E required to travel through the specific section 4.

[0035] Therefore, when the hybrid vehicle 10 travels in the specific area (YES in step S16), the control device 24 can set the target values A and B of the remaining charge required for the battery 22 according to whether the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 is included in the specific section 4 (steps S20 and S32).

[0036] Next, in step S40, the control device 24 determines whether the hybrid vehicle 10 has entered the specific section 4. When the control device 24 determines that the hybrid vehicle 10 has entered the specific section 4 (YES in step S40), the process proceeds to step S50, and the driving mode of the hybrid vehicle 10 is set to the EV driving mode. On the other hand, when the control device 24 determines that the hybrid vehicle 10 has not entered the specific section 4 (NO in step S40), the process proceeds to step S60.

[0037] In step S60, the control device 24 determines whether the remaining charge of the battery 22 exceeds a value obtained by giving a certain margin (i.e., margin) to the target values A and B. The value α of this margin is set in consideration of, for example, the assumed fluctuations in the power consumption of the motor 20. When the control device 24 determines that the remaining charge of the battery 22 exceeds the value of the target value A + α (or B + α) (YES in step S60), the process proceeds to step S50, and the driving mode of the hybrid vehicle 10 is set to the EV driving mode. On the other hand, when the control device 24 determines that the remaining charge of the battery 22 is less than or equal to the value of the target value A + α (or B + α) (NO in step S60), the process proceeds to step S62.

[0038] In step S62, the control device 24 determines whether the remaining charge of the battery 22 is equal to or greater than the target values A and B. When the remaining charge of the battery 22 is equal to or greater than the target values A and B, the control device 24 determines YES in step S62 and sets the driving mode of the hybrid vehicle 10 to the hybrid driving mode (step S64). In the hybrid driving mode, since the vehicle travels with the engine 18 and / or the motor 20 while operating the engine 18, the remaining charge of the battery 22 can be maintained or increased. That is, prior to the hybrid vehicle 10 proceeding to the specific area, the remaining charge of the battery 22 can be increased in advance.

[0039] On the other hand, when the remaining charge of the battery 22 is less than the values of the target values A and B, the control device 24 determines NO in step S62, sets the driving mode of the hybrid vehicle 10 to the hybrid driving mode, and executes charging of the battery 22 by executing power generation by the motor 20 (step S66). That is, prior to the hybrid vehicle 10 proceeding to the specific area, the remaining charge of the battery 22 can be increased in advance.

[0040] In step S70, the control device 24 determines whether or not the support end condition is satisfied. The support end condition includes, for example, the hybrid vehicle 10 having stopped. When the control device 24 determines that the support end condition is satisfied (YES in step S70), it ends the series of processes. On the other hand, when it determines that the support end condition is not satisfied (NO in step S70), it returns to the process of step S10 and repeatedly executes the series of processes.

[0041] As described above, in the hybrid vehicle 10 of the present embodiment, when the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 is not included in the specific section 4, the target value A for the remaining charge is set based on the estimated value of the required energy required to travel through the specific section 4. On the other hand, when the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 is included in the specific section 4, a predetermined value or a set value set by the user is set as the target value B for the remaining charge. According to such a configuration, when the hybrid vehicle 10 travels in the specific area, it is possible to suppress the remaining charge of the battery 22 from becoming insufficient while traveling in the specific area, regardless of whether the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 is included in the specific section.

[0042] Next, referring to FIG. 3, the hybrid vehicle 10 of Embodiment 2 will be described. The hybrid vehicle 10 of this embodiment is different from the hybrid vehicle 10 of Embodiment 1 only in the control operation executed by the control device 24. Since the structural aspects are common in the hybrid vehicles 10 of Embodiments 1 and 2, duplicate descriptions will be omitted by assigning common reference numerals. The control device 24 in this embodiment is configured to execute the control operation shown in FIG. 3 instead of the control operation shown in FIG. 2. Note that the processes of S10 to S20 and S40 to S70 in FIG. 3 are the same as the processes of S10 to S20 and S40 to S70 in FIG. 2, respectively.

[0043] In step S130, the control device 24 determines whether the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 that is not in route guidance is included in the specific section 4. As described above, when the end point e2 of the predicted travel route 2 is included in the specific section 4, the required remaining charge of the battery 22 cannot be accurately obtained. Therefore, when the control device 24 determines that the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 is included in the specific section (YES in step S130), it proceeds to the process of step S132. On the other hand, when the control device 24 determines that the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 is not included in the specific section 4 (NO in step S130), it proceeds to the process of step S20 and sets the target value A of the required remaining charge of the battery 22 based on the required energy E required to travel through the specific section 4.

[0044] In step S132, the control device 24 determines whether the hybrid vehicle 10 has entered the specific section 4. When the control device 24 determines that the hybrid vehicle 10 has entered the specific section 4 (YES in step S132), it proceeds to the process of step S134 and sets the driving mode of the hybrid vehicle 10 to the EV driving mode. On the other hand, when the control device 24 determines that the hybrid vehicle 10 has not entered the specific section 4 (NO in step S132), it proceeds to the process of step S136 and sets the driving mode of the hybrid vehicle 10 to the hybrid driving mode.

[0045] As described above, when the end point 2e of the predicted travel route 2 is included in the specific section 4 (YES in step S130), the control device 24 selects and executes the hybrid driving mode until the hybrid vehicle 10 enters the specific section (NO in step S132) (step S136). In the hybrid driving mode, since the vehicle travels with the engine 18 and / or the motor 20 while the engine 18 is operating, the remaining charge of the battery 22 can be maintained or increased. That is, prior to the hybrid vehicle 10 proceeding to the specific area, the remaining charge of the battery 22 can be increased in advance. According to such a configuration, when the hybrid vehicle 10 travels in the specific area, even when the end point of the predicted travel route is included in the specific section, it is possible to suppress the remaining charge of the battery 22 from becoming insufficient while traveling within the specific area.

[0046] In the hybrid vehicles 10 of the first and second embodiments, the control device 24 has functions of updating and acquiring pre-read data, creating a predicted travel route, and a navigation system. However, the control device 24 may be composed of a plurality of devices, and each function may be executed by an individual device. In this case, each device may be configured to be able to communicate various data (for example, pre-read data, travel route, etc.) with each other by communication such as CAN (Control Area Network) or wireless communication. At least one device of the separately configured control device 24 may be a cloud server, and may be configured to be able to communicate with at least one of the control devices 24 mounted on the hybrid vehicle via the Internet.

[0047] Although the embodiments of the present technology have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical utility alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the technology illustrated in this specification or the drawings achieves multiple purposes simultaneously, and achieving one of these purposes itself has technical utility.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0048] 2: Planned Travel Route, Predicted Travel Route 4: Specific Section 10: Hybrid Vehicle 12: Vehicle Body 14: Front Wheels 16: Rear Wheels 18: Engine 20: Motor 22: Battery 24: Control Device

Claims

【Claim 1】 A hybrid vehicle, comprising: a motor and an engine for running; a battery that supplies driving power to the motor and is charged with the generated power by the motor; a control device that controls the motor and the engine to selectively execute a plurality of driving modes; wherein the plurality of driving modes include at least an EV driving mode in which the vehicle runs on the motor while the engine is stopped, and a hybrid driving mode in which the vehicle runs on the engine and / or the motor while the engine is operating; the control device is capable of performing a process of acquiring a predicted driving route of the hybrid vehicle; performing a process of identifying a specific section in the predicted driving route where the operation of the engine is restricted; performing a process of preferentially selecting the driving mode based on the remaining charge of the battery until the hybrid vehicle enters the specific section; the process of selecting the driving mode includes when the end point of the predicted driving route is not included in the specific section, setting a target value for the remaining charge based on an estimated value of the required energy to travel through the specific section, and selecting and executing one of the plurality of driving modes so that the remaining charge is equal to or greater than the target value; when the end point of the predicted driving route is included in the specific section, instead of setting the target value, selecting and executing the hybrid driving mode; a hybrid vehicle.

Images