Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Fuminori Honjo

Jun Tahara

A vehicle provided with a generator generating electric power by using motive power outputted from an internal combustion engine includes an electric power storage device, an electric motor driving a vehicle, a controller executing charging control of the electric power storage device, and a weight estimator estimating a vehicle weight while the vehicle is moving. While the vehicle is driven by the electric motor, the controller starts operation of the internal combustion engine to start charging the electric power storage device when a SOC of the electric power storage device is reduced to a charging start SOC or less, and to stop the operation of the internal combustion engine to stop charging the electric power when the SOC of the electric power storage device is at or greater than a charging stop SOC. The charging stop SOC is set based on the vehicle weight estimated by the weight estimator.

Vehicle provided with generator

A PM catalyst regeneration control for the purpose of 'soot removal' is performed prior to a sulfur poisoning recovery control. In the PM catalyst regeneration control, PM deposits in a catalyst are burned. A target throttle opening degree for the sulfur poisoning recovery control is preset smaller than a target throttle opening for the PM catalyst regeneration control in order to reduce the intake air volume during deceleration. A catalyst bed temperature is thus prevented from dropping, and therefore maintained at a level appropriate to sulfur poisoning recovery. Controlling the intake air volume during deceleration in such a manner results in more efficient catalyst recovery from sulfur poisoning, so that the fuel economy is maintained during the sulfur poisoning recovery control.

Growing community of inventors

Kariya, Japan

Fuminori Honjo