One proposed hybrid vehicle has an engine, a first motor generator (MG1), a planetary gear that is connected to the engine and the motor generator MG1 and connected to front wheels via gear, a second motor generator (MG2) that is connected to the front wheels side of the planetary gear, a battery that transmits electric power to and from the motor generators MG1 and MG2. The proposed hybrid vehicle is driven with an operation of the engine when a vehicle speed of the hybrid vehicle is more than an intermittent operation prohibition vehicle speed for prohibiting stop of the engine, and driven with an intermittent operation of the engine in response to a driving power required for driving the hybrid vehicle when the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the intermittent operation prohibition vehicle speed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This vehicle sets a first value as the intermittent operation prohibition vehicle speed for prohibiting the intermittent operation of the engine when a battery temperature is low, and sets a second value that is less than the first value as the intermittent operation prohibition vehicle speed of the engine when the battery temperature is high. Therefore, this vehicle prevents a decrease of the battery life by an expansion of a range where the engine is continuously operated, when the battery temperature is high.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds