Power output apparatus, drive system, and control method of power output apparatus

Abstract

The technique of the invention is applied to a motor vehicle where an engine and a first motor are linked to a driveshaft via a planetary gear mechanism, a second motor is linked to the driveshaft via a transmission, and a battery is arranged to receive and transmit electric power from and to the first motor and the second motor. In response to a deviation of the charge-discharge state of the battery from an allowable control range set as an allowable charge state range of the battery during an upshift, gear change control of the invention sets a gearshift condition change flag Fto 1 (step S) and sets a value Nhaving a smaller absolute value than a value Nto a target rotation speed change ΔNm* of the second motor (step S). The gear change control then sets a hydraulic pressure command Pb* of a brake Bincluded in the transmission to make an actual rotation speed change ΔNmof the second motor approach to the target rotation speed change ΔNm* (step S). This arrangement reduces a rate of change in rotation speed Nmof the second motor. The reduced rate of change in rotation speed Nmprevents a continuous decrease or a continuous increase in power consumption of the second motor that is caused by, for example, delayed detection, delayed computation, and delayed communication, thus effectively protecting the battery from excessive power input and excessive power output.