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VEHICLE, VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD, AND DRIVE UNIT

  • US 20090299559A1
  • Filed: 05/26/2009
  • Published: 12/03/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A vehicle, comprising:

  • an internal combustion engine;

    an electric power storage unit;

    an electric power/power reception/output unit that is connected to an axle-side shaft and connected to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine in such a maimer that the electric power/power reception/output unit rotates independently of the axle-side shaft, and that receives power from the output shaft and outputs the power to the axle-side shaft or receives power from the axle-side shaft and outputs the power to the output shaft while exchanging electric power with the electric power storage unit and exchanging power with the internal combustion engine;

    an electric motor that receives power from the axle-side shaft or outputs power to the axle-side shaft, and that exchanges electric power with the electric power storage unit;

    a vehicle speed detection unit that detects a vehicle speed; and

    a control unit, whereinif a traveling environmental condition that is related to an environment in which the vehicle travels is satisfied, the control unit executes a traveling environment reflected control in which the internal combustion engine, the electric power/power reception/output unit, and the electric motor are controlled in such a manner that the vehicle is driven by a driving force based on a required driving force, which is required to drive the vehicle, with the traveling environment taken into account more significantly than in a normal control in which the internal combustion engine, the electric power/power reception/output unit and the electric motor are controlled in such a manner that the vehicle is driven by the driving force based on the required driving force with fuel efficiency taken into account,if the detected vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined vehicle speed at the time or after the traveling environmental condition fails to be satisfied, the control unit executes the normal control, andif the detected vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined vehicle speed when the traveling environmental condition fails to be satisfied, the control unit executes the traveling environment reflected control until the vehicle speed becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined vehicle speed.

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