HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE CONTROLLER AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE

摘要

The invention relates to a controller for a hybrid electric vehicle (100) having an engine (121) and an electric machine (123), the controller (140) being configured upon start-up of the vehicle to control the electric machine (123) to provide torque to drive the vehicle (100) with the engine (121) off if a state of charge (SoC) of an energy storage device (150) is above an EV- start SoC threshold and to start the engine (121) if a SoC of the energy storage device (150) is below the EV- start SoC threshold, wherein the EV- start SoC threshold is determined to be one selected from amongst a value sufficient to allow the vehicle (100) to travel a prescribed distance before a SoC falls below a SoC minimum level at which the engine (121) is started and a value sufficient to allow the vehicle (121) to operate for a prescribed time period before the SoC falls below the SoC minimum level.