Control system for regenerative braking in a hybrid vehicle

A vehicle comprising:

• a controller programmed to,
• in response to releasing an accelerator pedal, decrease a constrained wheel torque request prior to, during, and after a period of lash crossing where the constrained wheel torque request changes direction from positive to negative, wherein a rate at which the constrained wheel torque request decreases during the period of lash crossing is less than rates at which the constrained wheel torque request decreases during times periods before and after the period of lash crossing, and
• in response to the constrained wheel torque request becoming negative during the period of lash crossing and a braking torque request having an absolute value that exceeds an absolute value of the constrained wheel torque request, limit regenerative braking to the constrained wheel torque request during the period of lash crossing such that the regenerative braking does not satisfy the braking torque request, and increase friction braking torque to satisfy a remainder of the braking torque request.