Device and method for controlling hybrid vehicle

A control device for a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid vehicle including an engine, which generates a driving force for traveling, and a generator motor drivingly coupled to the engine, wherein

• the control device is configured to perform a pre-stoppage self-sustaining operation control, which stops operation of the engine after performing a self-sustaining operation of the engine until an engine torque decreases to a predetermined stoppage transition torque when stoppage of the operation of the engine is requested, and
• the control device comprises circuitry including a pre-stoppage ignition control unit, which is configured to
• define, as a stoppage transition air amount, an intake air amount of the engine with which the engine torque becomes the stoppage transition torque in a state in which an ignition timing of the engine is set to a predetermined self-sustaining operation ignition timing,
• define, as an intermediate timing, a predetermined timing earlier than timing at which the intake air amount converges to the stoppage transition air amount during an execution period of the pre-stoppage self-sustaining operation control,
• set the ignition timing of the engine in a period from the start of the pre-stoppage self-sustaining operation control to the intermediate timing to timing earlier than the self-sustaining operation ignition timing, and
• set the ignition timing of the engine in the period from the intermediate timing to an end of the pre-stoppage self-sustaining operation control to the self-sustaining operation ignition timing.

A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid vehicle including an engine, which generates a driving force for traveling, and a generator motor drivingly coupled to the engine,

• the method comprising:
• performing a pre-stoppage self-sustaining operation control, which stops the operation after performing a self-sustaining operation of the engine until an engine torque decreases to a predetermined stoppage transition torque when stoppage of the operation of the engine is requested;
• defining, as a stoppage transition air amount, an intake air amount of the engine with which the engine torque becomes the stoppage transition torque in a state in which an ignition timing of the engine is set to a predetermined self-sustaining operation ignition timing;
• defining, as an intermediate timing, a predetermined timing earlier than timing at which the intake air amount converges to the stoppage transition air amount during an execution period of the pre-stoppage self-sustaining operation control;
• setting the ignition timing of the engine in a period from the start of the pre-stoppage self-sustaining operation control to the intermediate timing to timing earlier than the self-sustaining operation ignition timing;
• and
• setting the ignition timing of the engine in the period from the intermediate timing to an end of the pre-stoppage self-sustaining operation control to the self-sustaining operation ignition timing.