Method and device for controlling starting and stopping of internal combustion engine in hybrid vehicle

Abstract

An internal combustion engine of a series hybrid vehicle starts generating power when a catalyst temperature or a coolant temperature has decreased to an activation temperature or a lower limit water temperature, and stops generating power when the catalyst temperature or the coolant temperature reaches an operation end temperature. A target duration time of EV mode operation is set, and respective temperature decrease rates are used to set the operation end temperature so that a difference in temperature relative to the activation temperature will be 'ΔTC=Ra×Tev,' and to set the operation end temperature so that a difference in temperature relative to the lower limit water temperature will be “ΔTW=Rb×Tev.”