Apparatus and method for controlling the transition of a multi-combustion mode internal combustion engine in a hybrid electric vehicle.

Abstract

Automotive designers are making a major shift away from internal combustion engines and towards batteries and electric motors. Until the infrastructure is in place to support full electrification, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), which contain both an internal combustion engine and an electric machine, are a step towards electrification and higher system fuel efficiency while maintaining the expected driving range. To achieve even higher system fuel efficiency, HEVs can use combustion modes that offer higher efficiency than spark ignition (SI) operation. The problem with such combustion modes is that they cannot be used over as wide an operating range as SI operation, and transitions between modes are time-consuming and cumbersome. By making the ICE in an HEV a multi-combustion mode engine and tweaking the mode switching with an EM, the high fuel efficiency of alternative combustion modes can be leveraged while still providing the smooth driving experience that vehicle users expect.

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