The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle.
A Hybrid Vehicle is a vehicle that has two sources of propulsion. A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is a vehicle wherein one of the sources of propulsion is electric and the other source of propulsion may be derived from fuel cells or an internal combustion engine (ICE) that burns diesel, gasoline or any other source of fuel. The hybrid vehicle employs an operating system for controlling the alternative sources of propulsion.
An electric motor-generator (MoGen) system replaces the separate starter motor and alternator.
The motor generator or xe2x80x9cMoGenxe2x80x9d of a hybrid system provides many unique aspects of powertrain control previously unavailable with a conventional or separate engine starter and alternator control scheme. A separate conventional starter control only allows the starter motor to apply torque to the internal combustion engine during a crank event. A separate alternator control simply charges to a set point voltage.
A propulsion system for use in a hybrid vehicle, the propulsion system includes an internal combustion engine, an electric motor/generator operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine and an electric storage medium and a propulsion system controller for actuating the propulsion system. The propulsion system controller varies the operating conditions of the electric motor/generator system in response to operating conditions of the vehicle.